Month: March 2015

Sixth Circuit Overturns $2.8M ERISA Award for Unjust Enrichment

Simply paying an aggrieved plan participant for unpaid benefits due was enough to make him whole under ERISA, so no further money damages were warranted as a form of equitable relief, a federal appeals court has ruled. With this conclusion, a majority of the full en banc 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned an earlier ruling […]

Tips for Effective Teambuilding

Most organizations rely on employees working well together to maximize efficiency and productivity. After all, teams—both formal and informal—are often the backbone of the organization. When teams don’t work well together, entire projects can fall apart. Conversely, when a team is cohesive and efficient, it can propel their project to faster and bigger success. Teams […]

Utah passes historic legislation against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination

by Ryan B. Frazier On March 12, Utah Governor Gary Herbert signed into law newly enacted legislation aimed at preventing employment and housing discrimination against gays, lesbians, and transgender individuals. The monumental legislation amends the state’s antidiscrimination law to prohibit employers statewide from making employment decisions based on an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. […]

Juries to decide if Uber, Lyft drivers are employees

by Mark I. Schickman One of my earliest cases involved a client who ran a livery service—with a fleet of luxury cars to drive passengers all over town. But neither his cars nor his drivers were properly licensed, and his vehicles were impounded and the drivers were arrested every time they hit the streets—such was […]

Foreseeable Leave, Intermittent Leave, and More

Yesterday, attorney Michelle Lee Flores of the Los Angeles office of Fisher & Phillips, LLP, started her rundown of top FMLA, CFRA, and PDL compliance tips for California employers. Today, the rest of her list—plus an invitation to a new webinar you won’t want to miss.