College students and recent graduates may soon have cause to celebrate: employers are coming under increased scrutiny when it comes to unpaid internships. Following the success of interns suing for wages at Fox Searchlight and the recent $450,000 settlement in favor of Elite Model Management interns, the Second Circuit finds itself at the epicenter of […]
Alex Rodriguez’s future in baseball is tenuous at best. The Yankee third-baseman was originally suspended by Commissioner Bud Selig for a record 211 games. The discipline stemmed from violations of MLB’s Joint Drug Agreement (JDA). These violations included the use of performance enhancing drugs and the destruction of incriminating evidence. In response, Rodriguez noted that […]
In November 2013, the Second Circuit ruled against a class of Starbucks baristas claiming the Seattle-based coffee maker’s practice of allowing shift supervisors to participate in tip-pooling is illegal. Starbucks policy dictates that each store place a container at the counter where patrons may deposit tips. At the end of each week, the tips are […]
On January 1, Bill de Blasio was sworn in as Mayor of New York City. In his inaugural address, the former Public Advocate reiterated the egalitarian campaign theme that was successful enough to seize an office held by Republicans for the last 20 years. “When I said we would take dead aim at the Tale […]
A New York City Human Rights amendment signed into law on October 2, 2013 is set to take effect on January 30th. The new law requires employers with four or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions. The law seeks to protect a group left vulnerable under a patchwork […]
In another blow to Detroit workers, GM has escaped liability on a 2007 obligation to pay $450 million to fund retiree medical benefits. GM was granted summary judgment after arguing its obligation to make the payment was extinguished by a later 2009 agreement entered into after it emerged from bankruptcy. The United Automobile, Aerospace, and […]
In a move that could have lasting implications for how corporations do business abroad, the 9th Circuit Court filed an opinion on December 19th holding that corporations can face liability for claims brought under the Alien Tort Statute. A class of plaintiffs of Malian descent has alleged they were illegally trafficked to the Ivory Coast […]
Fast-food workers are determined to make living wages a reality. Small concessions in Washington, California, New Jersey, and New York have done little to pacify the growing discontent of minimum wage earners in the fast-food industry. Indeed, they have captured the attention of the American public and do not intend to waste the opportunity. In […]
In an opinion filed December 5, Bankruptcy Judge Steven W. Rhodes ruled that the city of Detroit is eligible to file for bankruptcy. Perhaps more importantly for the 110 parties that unsuccessfully filed objections, Rhodes also ruled that “[p]ension benefits are a contractual obligation of a municipality and not entitled to any heightened protection in […]
The Dow Jones Industrial Average is up almost 26% year-to-date. As the stock market continues on its rapidly ascending trajectory, so too has the call to raise the minimum wage. The federal minimum wage, which is currently pegged at $7.25 per hour, has not risen since 2009. In fact, when adjusted for inflation, it has […]