Labor Relations / Unions

Full speed ahead for Biden’s pro-worker plans

01/14/2021

Expect a sharp contrast with the employer-friendly policies of the Trump administration. Here is what we know so far about how the Biden administration will address hot-button employment law issues.

Walsh nominated to head Biden’s Labor Department

01/12/2021

President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Boston Mayor Marty Walsh to become secretary of labor. A labor union official before he entered politics, Walsh is expected to lead a Department of Labor focused heavily on employee rights, a dramatic shift from the DOL’s pro-employer tilt during the Trump administration.

Beware NLRB lawsuits that allege worker retaliation

12/17/2020

The EEOC isn’t the only enforcement agency that can file a retaliation lawsuit. The National Labor Relations Board can, too. Even employers with nonunion workforces may find themselves in the NLRB’s crosshairs if they bar discussing working conditions.

It’s up to HR to foster workplace civility

12/03/2020

American society is as polarized as it has been in decades. We have just completed a bitterly divisive election. Public discourse and even private conversations are angry. That same coarseness can permeate the workplace unless employers intervene. But employers must be careful not to chill protected speech when they try to enforce civility.

Biden’s DOL pick to bring pro-employee tilt

11/16/2020

The next Secretary of Labor will bring a pro-employee perspective to the U.S. Department of Labor. Almost all the contenders President-Elect Joe Biden is said to be considering for the job have close ties to labor unions.

Unions seek binding OSHA coronavirus rules

11/05/2020

Unions have filed two lawsuits seeking to compel the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to develop mandatory pandemic-related workplace safety standards. OSHA is pushing back, maintaining that current safety standards and practices do enough to protect frontline workers.

NLRB clarifies obligations during pandemic

10/29/2020

Several recent cases before the National Labor Relations Board show that the National Labor Relations Act most definitely affects employer obligations during the coronavirus pandemic. Remember, the NLRA covers all employers, not just those that employ union members.

Snapshot: Union approval hits 10-year high

09/15/2020

Americans’ approval of organized labor has increased steadily in the last decade.

OK to ban employee blog linking to your websites

08/20/2020

The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that employers can’t forbid employees from posting negative information or opinions about the company on social media. But, the NLRB just decided employers can make workers refrain from linking to official company websites.

NLRB OKs limited bans on cell phones at work

06/04/2020

The National Labor Relations Board has upheld an employer policy requiring employees to stow personal cell phones in lockers because safety concerns on the factory floor outweigh the “relatively slight risk” that the policy would interfere with employees’ right to engage in activity protected by the National Labor Relations Act.