On July 24, 2024, Judge Mark Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida dealt Florida teachers unions a critical blow in their attempt to overturn Senate Bill (SB) 256 regarding public-sector union dues collection and recertification, concluding that all but one of the unions’ challenges
Articles About Florida Labor and Employment Law.
Escaping the “Upside Down” – Halting Florida’s Stop WOKE Act
Two years ago, Florida became the center of widespread media attention with its enactment of a new law, which set out to curb training and teaching relating to inclusion, equity, and diversity (“IE&D”). Since then, there has been a battle in the courts as to the validity of the legislation
Federal Court Permanently Blocks Florida Restrictions on Workplace Diversity Training
On July 26, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida permanently blocked Florida’s Stop WOKE Act, which restricted the types of anti-harassment and antidiscrimination training that employers can require their workers to attend.
Managing Political Discussions in Florida’s Private Workplaces: What Employers Need to Know
Florida Governor Signs Law Easing Hourly Work Restrictions on Minors
On March 22, 2024, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law that amends the state’s Child Labor Law to allow minors sixteen and seventeen years of age to work more hours.
Strike Two… Eleventh Circuit Upholds Injunction Against Florida “Stop-WOKE” Law; Confirms the Law Violates First Amendment
Strike One…
Stop Woke is Broke: Injunction Stopping Florida’s Anti-Woke Law Aimed at Employer Training is Upheld by Eleventh Circuit
Executive Summary: On Monday, March 4, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit upheld the August 2022 preliminary injunction issued by Judge Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, ordering state officials in Florida to take no steps to enforce the Individual Freedom Act, Fla Stat. § 768.10(8) (also known as HB7 or the “Stop WOKE Act”), based on concerns the law is unconstitutional.
Preliminary Injunction Against Florida’s Individual Freedom (or Stop W.O.K.E.) Act Upheld
A unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has upheld a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of Florida’s Individual Freedom Act. Honeyfund.Com Inc, et al. v. Governor, State of Florida, et al., No. 22-13135 (Mar. 4, 2024).
Florida Workplace Bills for Employers to Watch During the 2024 Legislative Session
Florida’s 2024 regular legislative session runs from January 9 through March 8, 2024, and is one to watch for employers. Dozens of workplace bills have been filed. If passed, three sets of these bills may have a particularly significant impact across many industries. Child labor bills would largely remove work
Florida PBM Law Limits Mail-Order Prescription Drug Programs, Requires State Filings by Employer Plans
Employers that cover Florida employees under their prescription drug plans are now prohibited from imposing mandatory mail-order requirements and are required to provide a sixty-day continuity of care period following midyear formulary changes under a recently enacted Florida law regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Quick Hits Those restrictions are part
Florida Practice Tip: Using the 120-Day Pay and Investigate Rule to Your Advantage
Florida law requires an insurance company to accept or deny a workers’ compensation claim after they are reported within 14 days after an accident, or a Petition for Benefits is filed.
Inching Forward Toward Potential Clarification of Florida’s Individual Freedom Act (the “Stop-W.O.K.E.” Law)
On August 24, 2023, over a year after Florida’s Individual Freedom Act (IFA) (commonly referred to as the “Stop-W.O.K.E.” law) went into effect, and about one year after a Florida federal court partially enjoined the new law, a three-judge panel for the U.S.
Weapons and the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know about Florida’s New Constitutional Carry Law
For years, a number of Florida’s elected officials have had their sights set on eliminating the statutory requirement that Florida residents obtain a concealed weapons license (“CWL”) to lawfully carry a concealed weapon.
Protecting the Local CROWN: Combing Through Florida’s Ordinances Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Hairstyles and Textures
Although not widespread, ordinances prohibiting discrimination based on natural hairstyles and textures are not completely foreign to Florida, and amidst a perceived rise in “anti-wokeness,” employers in the Sunshine State must remember the sun has not set on local governments’ ability to impose liability for discrimination based on natural
Florida’s SB 1718 Faces Its First Legal Challenges
Florida’s Senate Bill (SB) 1718 went into effect on July 1, 2023. One section of the new law—which criminalized the transport into the State of Florida of individuals who entered the United States without inspection—now faces a legal challenge.