Ogletree Deakins Podcasts

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Goli Rahimi (Chicago) and Kate Thompson (New York, Boston) unpack Singapore’s new Workplace Fairness (Dispute Resolution) Bill to explain how the new grievance and dispute resolution process will work, and what procedural safeguards and employee protections will come into effect. The speakers outline timelines toward an anticipated 2027 effective date, highlight employer defenses, and offer practical steps global employers can take now to prepare for a culture of early resolution and legally robust fairness practices.

In this episode of our Safety Perspectives From the Dallas Region podcast series, shareholders John Surma (Houston) and Frank Davis (Dallas) break down a new Amarillo federal lawsuit that challenges OSHA’s authority to issue safety standards as an unconstitutional delegation of legislative power. The speakers analyze how the case intersects with recent Supreme Court trends post-Loper Bright, discuss potential outcomes and risks for employers (including reliance on the General Duty Clause), and consider what this could mean for federal OSHA versus state-plan states and ongoing enforcement strategy.

In this episode of Dirty Steel-Toe Boots, Phillip Russell (shareholder, Tampa) and Lance Witcher  (shareholder, St. Louis), discuss how to empower your workforce through developing, training on, and executing effective OSHA inspection protocols. From definitions of rights and responsibilities, to how to handle document requests and employee interviews, Lance and Phillip provide practical insights that will help prepare your safety and operational teams for any OSHA visit.

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Shirin Aboujawde (New York) and Goli Rahimi (Chicago) discuss major employment law changes in Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Goli and Shirin, both of whom are members of the firm’s Cross-Border Practice Group, highlight a Polish Labor Code provision that significantly impacts how length of service is calculated, thereby affecting an employee’s statutory rights to notice of termination, severance, and paid leave. They also cover the introduction of a cap on notice periods for terminations in Belgium and the Netherlands’ Netherlands’ Clarification of Assessment of Employment Relations and Legal Presumption Act (VBAR Act), which tightens the distinction between employees and self-employed contractors.

Holiday gifts feel generous—but for payroll they’re often taxable. In this episode of Payroll Brass Tax, Mike Mahoney (shareholder, Morristown/New York) and Stephen Kenney (associate, Dallas) break down when gifts, gift cards, and raffle prizes count as wages, and how the de minimis fringe benefit rules really work. The speakers also discuss the mechanics of valuation, timing, withholding, and gross-ups to help employers avoid audit surprises and keep the season compliant.

In part two of this two-part Payroll Brass Tax podcast series, Mike Mahoney (shareholder, Morristown/New York), who is the chair of the Employment Tax Group, and Stephen Kenney (associate, Dallas) continue their conversation about unemployment tax rate notices. The speakers discuss managing claims to protect employers’ rates and different strategies like voluntary contributions, with special guidance for M&A, nonprofits, seasonal industries, and multistate employers.

n this podcast recorded at our 2025 Corporate Labor and Employment Counsel Exclusive® seminar, Tiffany Stacy (office managing shareholder, San Antonio) and Lisa Burton (office managing shareholder, Boston, Portland, ME) explore the complexities of conducting investigations of highly sensitive issues. Lisa and Tiffany offer insights and tips for handling claims involving sexual harassment, alleged incidents of sexual assault or similar misconduct, and cases with potentially aggravating circumstances such as minor employees and/or the use of substances. The speakers cover important considerations such as maintaining confidentiality, preserving evidence, the value of attorney-client privilege, the importance of having an investigator with high emotional intelligence, handling interviews and making credibility assessments, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of employees and assigned investigators, and reporting responsibilities.

In part one of this two-part Payroll Brass Tax podcast series, Mike Mahoney (shareholder, Morristown/New York), who is the chair of the Employment Tax Group, is joined by Stephen Kenney (associate, Dallas) to demystify unemployment tax rate notices—the one piece of mail that can swing your payroll costs by thousands or even millions. The speakers unpack how rates are calculated, what to check the moment a notice arrives, as well as when and how to appeal.

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Shirin Aboujawde (New York) and Patty Shapiro (San Diego) discuss Spain’s new Royal Decree 1155/2024, which clarifies when non-European Union (EU) nationals holding a valid work permit in another EU member state can perform short-term, project-based work in Spain without securing a separate Spanish permit. The speakers explain the criteria for posted workers, outline the visa and residence requirements for assignments lasting up to 180 days, and offer practical takeaways for global employers managing cross-border deployments.

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Patty Shapiro (shareholder, San Diego) and Shirin Aboujawde (of counsel, New York) discuss the complexities of conducting background checks from an international employment law perspective. The speakers review the varying regulations and practices across different jurisdictions, including limitations on criminal background checks, the nuances of employment references, and the permissibility of drug testing and medical exams.