Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A.

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As part of the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”), the Fair Labor Standards Act has been amended to require breaks for nursing mothers.  Effective immediately, employers must now provide “reasonable” breaks for nursing mothers to breastfeed or express breast milk.  The amendment does not define “reasonable,” nor does it specify the…

The Department of Labor recently issued updated COBRA model notices to assist employers in complying with the recently enacted Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (“TEA”).  The DOL website has the following model notices available:

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President Obama signed the HIRE Act, a $17.5 billion jobs bill, into law earlier today.  The bill includes tax breaks for small businesses and highway program funding intended to promote job growth.

Small businesses that hire out-of-work employees will be exempt from paying the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax through December.  To qualify, the employee must have been unemployed for…

Federal unemployment compensation and COBRA benefits expire tonight due to a gridlocked vote in the Senate.  As FOXNews reports:

Unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits will expire Sunday for millions of voters because the Senate was unable this week to pass a short-term extension, a failure that reflects partly the partisan gridlock that has stalled the

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A provision in fictional ACME, Inc.’s employee handbook states:

“All employees are strictly prohibited from discussing their salary or wage information with one another. Violation of this policy may lead to discipline up to and including termination.”

This provision, or one similar to it, is undoubtedly found in handbooks or other work rule documents in many workplaces. Is there a problem? Yes—and it could become more pronounced if not rectified soon by ACME and/or other employers.

Many employers are surprised to learn that the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”) applies to non-union workplaces. It does, and Section 7 of the NLRA guarantees that all employees, regardless of union status, have the right to engage in “concerted activities for the purpose of . . . mutual aid or protection.” This means that all employers, both union and non-union, are prohibited from interfering with their employees’ right to discuss terms and conditions of employment, including wages and benefits, with each other.

In a relatively recent National Labor Relations Board decision, the NLRB found that an employer’s “Confidentiality” rule, which prohibited employees from discussing disciplinary information and salary, “plainly infringes upon Section 7 rights” as it “explicitly restricts discussion of terms and conditions of employment.”

Now that we know stifling discussion about wages and benefits risks violation of the NLRA, what about other ramifications?  Another consideration after the jump.Continue Reading The NLRA…Not Just for Unionized Workplaces

The Employment Law Practice Group is pleased to provide the February 2010 edition of the Employment Law Update, which features the following articles:

  • Did you know that Florida ranks second only to California in the number of wage and hour suits brought against employers?  Robert Shearman provides employers with a timely update and

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