Employees

Were fired pro-union workers at Starbucks entitled to reinstatement? SCOTUS considers proper standard

A case of seven fired Starbucks workers has reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which agreed Friday to decide what kind of standard that courts should use when deciding a request for reinstatement by the National Labor Relations Board.

Jan 16, 2024 11:13 AM CST

Contractor or Employee? Labor Department changes the rules again

Bad news for employers that rely on the gig economy: It just got harder to run a business based on independent contractors.

Jan 11, 2024 11:58 AM CST

Legal jobs hit all-time high in December, preliminary figures show

The legal services sector added 4,500 jobs in December, hitting an all-time high, according to seasonally adjusted and preliminary figures released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Jan 9, 2024 8:29 AM CST

Chemerinsky: A year of significant developments at the Supreme Court

“Sometimes in the past, a blockbuster term—like the one a year ago—is followed by a quieter one. But that was not true this year. It was another amazing year in the Supreme Court,” writes Erwin Chemerinsky, University of California at Berkeley law dean.

Dec 19, 2023 11:08 AM CST

Legal sector adds 8,400 jobs over 3-month period

The legal services sector has added jobs for three months in a row, for a total increase of 8,400 jobs, according to seasonally adjusted figures released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Dec 8, 2023 11:18 AM CST

‘Tis the season for holiday parties, hijinks, harassment and lawsuits

It’s December, and for many law firms that means it’s time to put on the party hats and try to have some fun. But a celebratory event like a holiday party can quickly devolve into drunkenness, inappropriate behavior and a litigation mess if law firm management isn’t careful, employment lawyers warn.

Dec 7, 2023 12:33 PM CST

Foley & Lardner rescinds associate job offer over comments following Hamas attack

Foley & Lardner rescinded a job offer to an incoming associate just before she was set to begin work at the firm's Chicago office in October.

Dec 4, 2023 8:25 AM CST

Federal judge wants clerks to confirm they aren’t part of antisemitic or Islamophobic groups

A federal judge in Little Rock, Arkansas, is asking his incoming law clerks and interns whether they have done anything—or belonged to groups that did anything—that could be construed as celebrating or condoning the “massacre perpetrated by Hamas in Israel.”

Nov 10, 2023 1:42 PM CST

Race, ethnicity, parents’ education level produce differing job outcomes for class of 2022 law grads

Nikia Gray, the executive director of the National Association for Law Placement, is asking legal employers to “stand firm” on their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion after the release of data showing that minorities from the class of 2022 fare worse in employment numbers.

Oct 17, 2023 3:30 PM CDT

Legal jobs jump in September after disappointing August

The legal services sector added 5,100 jobs in September after a loss of 3,900 jobs in August, according to preliminary and seasonally adjusted figures issued Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Oct 9, 2023 12:14 PM CDT

Does federal law prevent employers from making you wear a bra at work?

Can your employer make you wear a bra at work? The New York Times addressed the issue in an “Ask Vanessa” column.

Sep 6, 2023 8:12 AM CDT

Legal sector loses 4,200 jobs, dropping well below last year’s high

The legal services sector lost 4,200 jobs in August, the second month of decline, according to seasonally adjusted and preliminary figures released Friday.

Sep 1, 2023 8:58 AM CDT

6th Circuit sides with OSHA over power to set workplace safety standards

Is Congress’ delegation to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to set workplace safety standards constitutional?

Aug 24, 2023 1:07 PM CDT

Kirkland & Ellis must face ex-associate’s sex bias claims, federal court says

A former associate in the intellectual property litigation group at Kirkland & Ellis in San Francisco can move forward with her sex discrimination lawsuit against the law firm, a federal judge in California ruled Wednesday.

Aug 24, 2023 10:31 AM CDT

Chemerinsky: Supreme Court rulings on labor and employment law leave many unanswered questions

Although they did not receive the headlines of the most high-profile decisions of the October Term 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court decided two important cases concerning the law of the workplace. One involved the duty of employers to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs and practices. The other concerned when a union can be held liable for the economic consequences of a strike. Each is likely to engender a great deal of litigation.

Aug 1, 2023 3:00 PM CDT