On February 19, 2021, in a landmark decision that may have lasting effects on the gig economy, the United Kingdom Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Uber drivers are workers and are not self-employed contractors, and, as such, are entitled to certain rights, including minimum wage, holiday pay and rest breaks, among other benefits and protections.
Factual Background
The UK Supreme Court’s decision concludes nearly five years of litigation between Uber and a small group of former drivers. These Uber drivers entered into partner agreements with Uber to drive passengers who were ...
A Trending News video has been posted now that the Stop Sexual Harassment in NYC Act is in effect. New York employers must provide annual anti-harassment training for their workers, and there are specific rules that apply to independent contractors. Contractors shouldn’t be harassed, and they can also create exposure if they engage in harassment. As a reminder to NYC employers: Don’t forget your contractors!
What the full video below.
In the first meaningful revision of its joint employer regulations in over 60 years, on Monday, April 1, 2019 the Department of Labor ("DOL") proposed a new rule establishing a four-part test to determine whether a person or company will be deemed to be the joint employer of persons employed by another employer. Joint employer status confers joint and several liability with the primary employer and any other joint employers for all wages due to the employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act ("FLSA"), and it’s often a point of dispute when an employee lodges claims for unpaid wages or ...
The United States Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (“OFCCP”) recently sent 1,000 Corporate Scheduling Announcement Letters (“CSALs”) to 515 federal government contractors. The CSALs provide advance notice that contractor establishments may be audited by the OFCCP during the scheduling cycle, which ends September 30, 2018, to ensure compliance with the contractors’ non-discrimination/affirmative action obligations.
The CSALs were sent on February 1, 2018, to the attention of the Director of Human Resources of the ...
By: Christina Fletcher
Confronting an issue of first impression, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently held that the “whistleblower” protections of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX”) cover only employees of public companies, and do not extend to the employees of a public company’s contractors or subcontractors which are themselves private companies. Lawson v. Fidelity Management & Research LLC, et al., No. 10-2240 (1st Cir. Feb. 3, 2012) (pdf). This holding provides private-company employers with a potentially strong defense to claims of retaliation against employees. However, it should be anticipated that Congress may revisit the scope of the protections and ultimately expand them in response to Lawson.
Section 806 of SOX prohibits discrimination against employees who engage in protected whistleblowing activities and work for publicly traded companies subject to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. 18 U.S.C. § 1514A(a). In Lawson, Fidelity Investments, a public company covered by Section 806 of SOX, contracted with a private investment advisory firm to provide investment advisory services. Plaintiff Zang alleged that he had been terminated in retaliation for raising concerns about inaccuracies in a draft revised registration statement for certain Fidelity funds. Plaintiff Lawson alleged retaliation for raising concerns relating to cost accounting methodologies. She resigned her employment in September 2007, claiming constructive discharge. Defendants’ motions to dismiss the complaints argued that the plaintiffs were not covered employees under Section 806 of SOX. The district court agreed with the plaintiffs, holding that subcontractors to a public company subject to SOX were protected by SOX’s whistleblower provision.
The First Circuit reversed, basing its decision on the language of SOX, principles of statutory interpretation, and SOX’s legislative history. The Court noted that plaintiffs’ suggested reading of the Act created anomalies and provided very broad coverage not intended by Congress. The Court explained that the clause “officer, employee, contractor, subcontractor, or agent of such company” in the whistleblower protection provision goes to who is prohibited from retaliating or discriminating, not to who is a covered employee. Thus, covered employees are limited to employees of public companies
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