In 2009, the Town of Oyster Bay in New York passed a law prohibiting people from soliciting employment along roadways within the Town. Two public interest groups sued the Town alleging that the law violated the First Amendment’s protection of free speech. On August 22, 2017, the Second Circuit Court…
The False Claims Act allows an individual to file a lawsuit on behalf of the government, against another individual or company who has defrauded the government. This type of lawsuit is called a qui tam action. If the person bringing the lawsuit wins, he or she may be entitled to…
The National Labor Relations Act (the NLRA) is a federal law that, among other things, protects the rights of employees and encourages collective bargaining among employees for better terms and conditions at work. The NLRA also imposes a duty of fair representation which means that labor unions have an obligation…
The Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) is a federal law which allows eligible employees to take a leave of absence from work for several reasons such as when dealing with a serious health condition of the employee or their family. FMLA Retaliation and Interference On July 19, 2017, in Woods…
Employers are prohibited from discriminating against its employees based, among other things, on race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, or familial status. Employers are also prohibited from retaliating against its employees. This means that an employer cannot punish an employee for engaging in legally protected activity. For…
The Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) is a federal law which allows eligible employees to take a leave of absence from work for several reasons such as when dealing with a serious health condition. The FMLA prohibits an employer from interfering, restraining, or denying an employee’s right to exercise a…
Whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee is a question with important implications. Employers who misclassify their workers may be liable for workers’ compensation penalties, wage and overtime claims, and unemployment insurance penalties. Simply paying an employee on a 1099 does not mean that the worker is…
To start a federal discrimination or retaliation lawsuit, a plaintiff must file a complaint with the court. The complaint is a document which states the facts which the plaintiff alleges add up to causing the defendant to be liable to the plaintiff. In Federal courts, the complaint must set forth…
On May 30, 2017, New York City passed a new law that will affect the retail and fast food industry in the city. This new law, which will be effective on November 26, 2017 includes five separate bills and is part of the Fair Workweek legislation package signed by Mayor…
The First Amendment protects many important rights, including the right of assembly. Like other First Amendment rights, however, this right is not absolute. On June 8, 2017, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals decided a case about how far a public school can go in limiting one’s right of assembly.…