Confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions have become staples in employee severance agreements. Following the National Labor Relation Board’s (NLRB) recent opinion in McLaren Macomb, 372 NLRB No. 58 (2023), these terms may be a thing of the past. In McLaren Macomb, 372 NLRB No. 58 (2023), the Board examined whether the employer violated Section 8(a)(1) of the…
Labor & Employment Law Blog
Clyde Snow’s Employment Law Group brings extensive experience in representing and counseling local and national businesses in all aspects of employment and workplace law. Contact Christopher Snow, Practice Group Chair, with inquiries at 801-322-2516.
Managing Love in the Workplace
I have performed two marriages in the last few weeks, and this month we celebrate Valentine’s Day; so, love is in the air. But how should companies respond when love permeates the workplace between employees, as it often does? Are you prepared if Cupid strikes your Company? When it comes to office romances, love can…
Love v. Overstock.com: Guidance for Drafting Enforceable Arbitration Agreements
Recently, in a putative wage and hour class action against the online retailer Overstock.com (“Overstock”), District Judge David Barlow of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah issued a decision addressing three recurring questions about enforceability of employment arbitration agreements. See Love v. Overstock.com, Case No. 2:22-cv-00118, 2022 WL 3345730 (D. Utah, Aug….
Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act
As of March 3, 2022, employers can no longer contractually require that sexual harassment and sexual assault lawsuits be arbitrated. In the wake of the #MeToo movement, the 100-year-old Federal Arbitration Act has been amended by the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act. The Act provides that pre-dispute arbitration agreements and…
Appeals Court Allows Biden’s Vaccine Mandate to Move Forward
December 21, 2021 On Friday, December 17, 2021, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s block on President Biden’s vaccine mandate, meaning the vaccine mandate will go into effect on January 4, 2022. The vaccine mandate requires that all private employers who employ 100 or more employees nationwide must require their employees…
Vaccine Mandate Whiplash: Where Do Things Stand in Utah?
December 1, 2021 The past few weeks have seen a flurry of regulatory activity by the federal and state governments regarding COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Even though court actions continue, now is a good time for employers to assess their current requirements and update policies and practices. Federal Mandates OSHA Rule On November 4, 2021, OSHA…
The Rules Don’t Apply to Those Who Apply: Asking Applicants for Their COVID-19 Vaccination Status
Can you ask an applicant their COVID-19 vaccination status? November 4, 2021 By now, most employers have at least broached the question of whether they can request employees’ vaccination status. While employers can in fact request this medical information from employees and even terminate employees who do not comply with disclosure or vaccine requirements (with…
Federal Vaccine Mandates
September 10, 2021 Yesterday President Biden issued two Executive Orders and a COVID-19 action plan, in furtherance of a strong federal policy of increasing the number of Americans who are vaccinated against COVID-19. The Orders and plan rely largely on employers to implement this policy. The first Executive Order requires all federal agencies to implement mandatory…
COVID-19 and the Americans with Disabilities Act
August 31, 2021 Employers in Utah and throughout our Country are faced with new and unique questions concerning COVID-19 and the workplace. For example, an increasing amount of employees are requesting to work from home due to potential COVID-19 exposure, particularly with the new infectious Delta Variant. Some employees are seeking remote work accommodations under…
Top Ten Tips for Success in Employment Law Mediations Webinar CLE
The Dispute Resolution Section & The Labor & Employment Law Section of the Utah State Bar Presents: Top Ten Tips for Success in Employment Law Mediations Mediators and seasoned employment litigators Chris Snow and Mike OBrien discuss the top ten tips practitioners should understand/implement for success in mediating employment law disputes. The webinar will be…