Arbitration clauses, by which the parties to a contract agree to submit disputes to an arbitrator or arbitration panel before filing suit, or in lieu of litigation entirely, are becoming increasingly common in both consumer and employment contracts. Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) that has some…
Three airlines are facing allegations of unfair labor practices and sex discrimination in several proceedings. A coalition of U.S.-based airlines and labor unions issued a report earlier this year claiming that the three airlines, which are based in the Persian Gulf region and fly out of airports in New York…
A key question in many wage and hour claims is whether the complainant is an “employee,” and therefore protected by said laws, or an “independent contractor,” who is not covered. The New Jersey Supreme Court, in response to a certified question from the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, applied a…
The social media network LinkedIn played a prominent role in a recent dispute over a non-compete agreement, demonstrating that employees’ use of social media can affect not only their current employment and their future prospects for employment, but also their relationships with past employers. A federal court rejected an employer’s…
Employees often rely on their employers for more than just a regular paycheck. While employers are not necessarily required to provide benefits for their employees, such as health insurance and retirement plans, those that do must follow certain requirements intended to protect employees’ interests. The federal Employee Retirement Income Security…
An employment agreement from a national chain of sandwich shops includes a non-competition clause that purports to impose remarkably broad restrictions on employees, according to a story in the Huffington Post. This type of clause typically states that an employee may not accept employment with the employer’s competitors while still…
Employees of numerous major fast-food restaurant chains have mounted campaigns to improve their working conditions, including higher wages and fewer unpaid hours. A major hurdle for these campaigns has been the franchise model used by many chain restaurants, in which one company, the “franchisor,” owns the restaurant’s brand, logo, menu,…
A man’s lawsuit against his former employer alleges that the company created multiple pretexts ito justify firing him, and that the company discriminated against him because he is homosexual. Housh v. Home Depot USA, Inc., et al, No. 30-2013-00678843, complaint (Cal. Super. Ct., Orange Co., Oct. 1, 2013). The plaintiff…
A gym teacher at a Bronx school filed a petition in the Supreme Court for New York County challenging her “unsatisfactory” job performance rating and subsequent termination. Gaylardo v. City of New York, et al, No. 14/100400, verif. pet. (N.Y. Sup. Ct., N.Y. Co., Apr. 8, 2014). She alleged that…
A former postdoctoral researcher at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut has filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract against the university and her former supervisor, along with several tort claims. Koziol v. Yale University, et al, No. NNH-CV14-6045144-S, complaint (Conn. Sup. Ct., New Haven, Feb. 24, 2014). The plaintiff…