On October 19, 2016, OSHA published a memo advising the new provisions of Section 1904.35, which require employers to set up reasonable procedures for reporting workplace injuries/illnesses and prohibit employers from retaliating against employees who reported work place injuries/illnesses. The memo specifically addressed discipline, drug and alcohol testing and incentive programs and how they may be interpreted by OSHA under this new law.
IRS Provides Benefit Plan Relief to Louisiana Flood Victims
On August 14, 2016, President Obama declared a major disaster in the State of Louisiana due to the severe storms and flooding that took place in several State parishes (“Louisiana Storms”). Following the declaration, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued guidance postponing certain tax filings and payment deadlines for taxpayers who reside or work in the disaster area. The relief also provides qualifying individuals with expanded access to their retirement plan assets to alleviate hardships caused by the Louisiana Storms. Below is a summary of the filing extension for the Form 5500 series and administrative changes that employers can make to expedite plan loans and hardship distributions to Louisiana Storm victims.
Update Your Confidentiality Agreements and Policies *Now*
Tidea netheft of trade secrets by rogue employees is frighteningly common. When employees leave or lose their jobs, about half “steal corporate data and don’t believe it’s wrong” and forty percent “plan to use the data in their new jobs,” according to a 2012 global survey published by Symantec, a security firm. The survey was based on responses from thousands of employees in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, China, and Korea.
Just How Super Are You? Advertising for Super Lawyers
We work hard. We achieve results. We want to develop business as a result of those successes. That’s all understandable since self-promotion is an important part of the development of professionals. By touting personal achievements, professionals are better able to position themselves to compete for new clients. Not surprisingly, many professionals include personal accolades in advertising materials. While the use of awards may be an effective advertising tool, if can also lead to ethical violations when done improperly.
New Minimum Salary Rule Holds Surprises for Employers – and They’re Not All Bad
After more than two years of publicity and tremendous speculation surrounding what the new overtime regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) would look like after President Obama directed the Secretary of Labor to “modernize and streamline” them, the final version of the rule is finally here – and now the work really begins for employers. By now, we’re all familiar with the reasons behind the changes (but if you’re not, you can see our article here that links back to three earlier articles on the topic). So, let’s get to the nitty gritty of the actual changes to the overtime rule and what they mean for you.
New OSHA Rule Requires Companies to Make Records Public
It used to be that OSHA primarily had access to a company’s OSHA logs when requested as part of an investigation. As such, OSHA, and the public, had little to no information about worker injuries and illnesses. All of that has changed now with OSHA’s new disclosure rule.
House Passes Federal Trade Secrets Bill
We recently reported that the U.S. Senate passed the Defend Trade Secret Act (“DTSA”), which would create a federal private cause of action for trade secret theft.
“Cannibal Cop” Decision Deepens Circuit Split On Federal Hacking Statute
Prosecutors and employers take notice — one of the most robust, wide-reaching tools against computer fraud and abuse could be blunted. The Second Circuit recently joined the Fourth and Ninth circuits in narrowly interpreting the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) in United States v. Valle, 807 F.3d 508 (2d Cir. 2015).
Sixth Circuit Highlights Importance of Non-Disclosure Agreements
The Sixth Circuit recently held that an employer’s “playbook” was protected from disclosure and use, even if the business information was not a “trade secret.” (Orthofix, Inc. v. Hunter, No. 15-3216 (Nov. 17, 2015)) Fortunately for Orthofix, its employment agreements included non-disclosure provisions.
Winter Is Coming – But What About Those FLSA Exemption Changes?
You may be thinking we’re the lawyers who cried wolf since we warned you not once, not twice, but three times that there were imminent changes coming to the requirements meet certain exemptions from minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). We’re not – those changes are still coming. But, now that the period during which the public could comment on the proposed rule has closed and the Department of Labor (“DOL”) is faced with 270,000 comments, it now looks like the revisions won’t go into effect until late 2016 (or possibly even 2017), and we’re still uncertain about what those changes will actually look like.
Time To Review Your Non-Competes
Companies with employees across multiple states face an administrative challenge. How do they ensure that their non-compete programs remain up to date with the various states law requirements for enforcement?
A Trade Secret Reminder — Take “Reasonable Steps”
The Center for Responsible Enterprise and Trade (CREATe.org) just released a new White Paper, “Reasonable Steps” To Protect Trade Secrets: Leading Practices in an Evolving Legal Landscape. It’s a must read for companies grappling with how best to protect and manage their trade secrets.
Hulk Hogan, Sex Tapes, And The FBI: Lesson Learned
When the celebrity gossip blog Gawker decided to post highlights from a sex tape starring Hulk Hogan, it never thought that decision would lead to suing the FBI. But that’s what happened—and just recently, Gawker prevailed. A federal judge in Florida ordered that the FBI and the Executive Office of United States Attorneys (EOUSA) must respond to Gawker’s FOIA request—even though the agencies argued that the requested evidence related to an ongoing investigation.
Tennessee Federal Court Refuses To Apply Inevitable Disclosure Doctrine
Williams-Sonoma is embroiled in a contentious trade secret theft case with its former executive and direct competitor. On June 18, 2015, a federal district court in Tennessee granted a preliminary injunction motion to enjoin Williams-Sonoma’s former vice president and direct competitor from using confidential business information, soliciting Williams-Sonoma employees, and destroying electronic evidence. But the federal court refused to give Williams-Sonoma everything it requested.
On the Hill: Congress “Attacks” Cyber-Security
Cyber-security and data breaches are hot-button issues that recently received some well-deserved attention from the federal government.
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