K Gates Working Wise

With the spread of COVID-19, employers across certain industries are seeing an increased need to keep employees at work for longer hours, and even overnight. In this podcast, Leann Walsh, Leah Baucom, and Desiree Moore discuss key considerations in managing the workplace in the current climate, including best practices under employment laws, practical considerations to boost employee morale, and a robust communications strategy in the face of potential legal and other repercussions.

Presenters: Leann Walsh, Leah Baucom, Desiree Moore

COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on the economic and social fabric of the United States. As more and more state and local jurisdictions are enacting stay at home policies that restrict individuals' activities and businesses' operations in efforts to counter the virus's spread, employers are increasingly evaluating different scenarios that will both take care of their employees and keep their businesses afloat amid this economic crisis. In this episode, Greg Lewis provides a high-level view of the employment law landscape to assist employers with both considerations. This episode explains some of the most common forms of wage and hour reductions employers implement during seasons of financial hardship and highlights some of the obligations employers owe their employees when these reductions occur.

Please note that the COVID-19 statistics in this podcast reflect the original date of the recording, March 25, 2020.

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The World Health Organization has declared the 2019 novel coronavirus a global health emergency. With thousands of confirmed cases of coronavirus in more than two dozen countries outside of China, many employers in the United States are wondering what they can do to stop its spread into workplaces and protect their employees. In this episode, we will answer key questions about how employers can meet their legal obligations and help prevent the spread of coronavirus in the workplace.

Presenter: Melanie Stratton Lopez

The U.S. Department of Labor released three opinion letters in 2019 regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA). In this episode, Leann Walsh, Melanie Stratton Lopez, and Avery Miller summarize the opinion letters and explain how the new guidance documents may assist employers when managing complex employee leave of absence issues.

Presenters: Leann Walsh, Melanie Stratton Lopez, and Avery Miller

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The Oregon legislature was active in 2019. Several new laws were passed that impact employers, including a longer statute of limitations for employment claims, paid family leave, and additional requirements for non-competition agreements. In this episode, Kjersten Turpen discusses the new laws employers need to know.

Presenter: Kjersten Turpen

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania recently held that the fluctuating workweek method of calculating overtime, which is permitted under the federal FLSA, is not permitted under Pennsylvania law. In this podcast, we will discuss the decision, its impact, and related legislative and regulatory developments to watch.

Presenters: Amy Groff and Jon Vaitl

In this episode, Meghan Meade discusses employer obligations towards disabled employees in light of New Jersey's recent amendments to the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act, finishing off with a brief update on what's new in New York City for marijuana-using employees.

Presenters: Meghan T. Meade

In this episode, Laura Scully discusses key legislation that the New York State Governor signed on August 12, 2019, as part of his 2019 Women's Justice Agenda.

Presenters: Laura Scully

In this episode, Scott Kobil discusses recent cases and EEOC action (and inaction) regarding employer wellness programs' compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. The episode examines some of the challenges facing employers and offers some helpful practices.

Presenter: Scott Kobil

In this episode of the Working Wise Podcast Series, K&L Gates Los Angeles Associate Jimmy Ma discusses recent developments in the EEOC's reporting requirements for employee pay data.

Presenters: Jimmy Ma