Each installment of the
Policy Matters
Podcast will provide timely updates regarding
potential adverse impacts on benefits that policy changes can have
on industry growth and offer a preview of what s next in the
competitive marketplace.
In this podcast episode, Ashley Cano, Partner in the Labor and
Employment department of Seyfarth s Chicago office, and John
Phillips, Senior Associate in the firm s Houston office,
discuss the National Labor Relations Board s changing view of
the scope of protected concerted activity.
With a new Acting General Counsel in charge at the NLRB, the
Board is already beginning to shift its focus and promote a more
Two Federal Agencies within the Department of Labor have recently announced aggressive enforcement initiatives.
Wage and Hour: On April 9, 2021, the Wage and Hour Division issued Field Assistance Bulletin 2021-2. This bulletin announced that the Wage and Hour Division would return to the aggressive policy of seeking liquidated (double) damages when employers are found to be in violation of the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. On June 24, 2020, the Wage and Hour Division announced that it would no longer seek pre-litigation liquidated damages where there were mitigating circumstances such as no clear evidence of bad faith or willful violations or a there was a bona fide dispute. The potential for the assessment of double damages in Wage and Hour investigations is extra incentive for employers to take steps to ensure that they are in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.
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Peter Ohr, the new top lawyer at the National Labor Relations
Board (NLRB), issued a memorandum on March 31, 2021, regarding
employees right to act together to improve their working
conditions, which has long been guaranteed under Section 7 of the
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Acting General Counsel
Ohr dusted off Section 7 with an eye toward highly charged issues
like employee health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic,
national efforts to increase the minimum wage, and political and
social justice movements. Employers should remain cognizant
that employee activity in these realms may be protected, and should
Discussing the roles of OMB, the OIRA and HHS in the rulemaking process, approaches and tips for effectively engaging with OIRA and OMB, real-world examples of navigating interagency communication during the rulemaking process and Biden’s approach to executive orders.
Press Release
Global law firm Ashurst is pleased to announce the appointment of three new partners in its energy practice. Paul Curnow joins Ashurst in Sydney, bringing with him partners Zoë Hilson and Kate Phillips in Sydney and Melbourne, respectively.
The hires consolidate Ashurst’s position at the leading edge of the global energy transition.
The established team has a deep understanding of energy markets and the renewables sector and collectively gained more than 50 years of experience at Baker McKenzie, where Paul was global co-head of the renewable energy practice.
Global law firm Ashurst is pleased to announce the appointment of three new partners in its energy practice.Paul is one of Australia’s leading renewable energy lawyers and is recognised globally as a market leader in climate change and sustainable finance. H