February 24, 2023
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NLRB Issues Ruling on Unlawful Severance Agreements

This week, the National Labor Relations Board issued a ruling stipulating that employers cannot make employee severance packages contingent on workers giving up NLRA-enacted rights. Specifically, that employers cannot prevent terminated employees from disparaging the employer or keeping the contents and existence of their severance agreement confidential.

In this most recent decision the board ruled that offering severance based on giving up labor rights was in and of itself an effort by employers to steer workers away from their statutory rights.  

According to board chairman Lauren McFerran, “It’s long been understood by the Board and the courts that employers cannot ask individual employees to choose between receiving benefits and exercising their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. Today’s decision upholds this important principle and restores longstanding precedent,”

The NLRB’s ruling is part of a larger strategy by the Biden administration to shore up workers’ rights. As of now, the common provisions of non-disparagement and confidentiality in severance agreements are not permissible under this ruling, however, it is expected to be appealed. The ruling also references potential carve-outs, which will be explored in the coming months. We will be monitoring this ruling closely as it has broad ramifications for our employer and employee clients signing or offering severance agreements.

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Trends in Covid-Related Litigation

September 13, 2021
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Read about the latest trends in Covid-related workplace lawsuits.

The DOJ Plays Whack-a-Mole to Try to Save Roe From Texas Abortion Law

September 10, 2021
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A little more than a week after Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) went into effect in the state of Texas, most of us still have anxious questions about the unconstitutional law, not least of which is, what can be done about this?

Federal Government Considers Long Covid a Disability

September 3, 2021
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The federal government has made moves to expand disability coverage to include long Covid sufferers. President Biden made the announcement in July as part of the country’s celebration of the 31st anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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