New England Biz Law Update

First there was “quiet quitting,” a phenomenon in which employees reduce the effort and initiative they put into their job until they’re doing the bare minimum. Then, that was quickly followed by the idea of “quiet firing,” or effectively reducing ...

A “Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights” has been published by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The framework, which is only guidance at this time, applies to the use of automated technology that impacts someone’s ...

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge in Massachusetts has found that a judgment debt owed by a contractor to two workers in their state Wage Act case can be discharged. Plaintiffs Julio Simoes and Eduardo Pereira, who performed construction work for ...

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking related to classifying employees as independent contractors. The change could result in more workers being classified as employees and therefore entitled to certain federal protections such as ...

A federal judge in Texas has ruled an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidance on LGBTQ+ protections is unlawful. The guidance stipulated that employers should allow transgender employees to access bathrooms aligned with their gender identity and that acts countering ...

A TikTok video racked up views after the poster pointed out that companies can monitor employee communication in workplace messaging apps like Microsoft Teams. The video, which has since been deleted, pointed out that it’s common for employers to monitor ...

When employee misconduct issues arise, give employees the opportunity to tell their side of the story. Failure to hear an employee out could increase organizational risk. Generally, it’s best to: Conduct a thorough investigation. If you don’t interview the accused, ...

The U.S. Supreme Court began a new term earlier this month, and the upcoming docket includes a number of cases with workplace implications. Cases with direct impact on employment law raise issues of overtime pay and jurisdiction for employee lawsuits. ...

A cellphone search is playing a central role in a Pennsylvania steelworker’s retaliation case. In September, a federal appeals court held that a reasonable jury could determine that Samuel Grossi & Sons Inc. was looking for an excuse to fire ...

The Federal Trade Commission is considering new regulations to restrict companies’ use of noncompete clauses. Last year, President Joe Biden asked the FTC to consider limiting these clauses. Recently, the FTC has been issuing subpoenas to businesses they believe are ...