By Kristina M. Launey & Minh N. Vu Seyfarth Synopsis: Plaintiffs filed 2,794 website accessibility lawsuits in federal court in 2023 – a 14% decrease from 2022.  After 2022’s record-setting year for website accessibility lawsuits filed in federal court, the 2023 filings dropped by 14%.  The total number of lawsuits filed in federal…

About the Program Join us for the third installment of our DEI Webinar Series: "Developments and Strategies in the Current Landscape of DEI Programs." During this third installment, Seyfarth attorneys explore common DEI programs and practices, including the effects of recent cases and developments. The webinar examines the structure and…

About the Program: Italy, Spain and France have seen many changes in the employment law landscape within the last year. Seyfarth’s Italy, Spain and France qualified international employment law experts, Sofia Bargellini, Ana Cid and Laurence Harvey Wood, look forward to sharing some recent developments in their upcoming 45 minute…

Terry Vlisidis, Unsplash By: Kevin M. Young Seyfarth Synopsis: With the DOL’s new overtime exemption rule weeks from taking effect, employers must consider the impacts of reclassifying exempt employees. Some potential impacts are obvious, others not so much. Proactive, thoughtful planning is key for employers to navigate these waters for…

Thursday, June 13, 20243:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Central1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mountain12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific About the Program Workplace political speech poses unique challenges for employers, particularly in a polarizing U.S. election year, and amid political demonstrations worldwide.  Employers must balance…

NEW YORK – (June 3, 2024) –  Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced today the arrival of partner John Domby to the firm’s Real Estate department in Charlotte, NC. Domby joins Seyfarth from Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP where he was a partner in its real estate finance and lending practice. “John is another…

About the Program: Join Us for the second installment of our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (“DEIB”) Webinar Series: “Strategic Approaches for Conducting DEIB Reviews” This micro-webinar series is designed to support employers as they navigate, refine, and enhance their DEIB programs within the current legal, societal, and cultural landscape.…

We are still waiting for a formal ruling on the Andersen v. Stability AI defendants’ second round of motions to dismiss, but so far it’s looking like most of the case may be allowed to proceed to discovery. The judge heard oral arguments on May 8, 2024 in this case…

We are thrilled to announce the release of the Chambers Trade Secrets 2024 Global Practice Guide, a comprehensive resource providing the latest insights and legal updates in the field of trade secrets law. Authored by leading experts in the industry, including Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s very own Robert Milligan and Dawn…

What do I need to know? New criminal laws in the UK will make companies more vulnerable to criminal prosecution for the acts of their employees and agents than ever before. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (“ECCTA”) introduces two significant changes to the criminal law in the…

The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) announced on Thursday, May 23, that they are expanding their search for businesses using “roll up” strategies to consolidate competitors and reduce competition across the U.S. economy. Previously, the agencies had primarily focused their efforts…

What You Need to Know: On May 6, 2024, the Connecticut legislature passed a bill (HB No. 5005) amending a number of key aspects of the Connecticut statewide Paid Sick Leave Law. The bill was signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont on May 21, 2024. Some of the notable…

The last several months have seen rapid changes in the employment and workplace health and safety space. With such dynamic movement, and then lots of commentary on each of these changes, it’s easy to view all these changes as one big jumble of puzzle pieces. And it can be hard…

Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 17, 2024, Colorado Governor Jared Poils signed Colorado SB 24-205, making Colorado the first state to enact broad legislation regulating employers’ use of AI to make “consequential decisions.” Colorado SB 24-205 broadly covers a wide range of AI applications, including employment, and incentivizes AI risk management practices…

Seyfarth Synopsis: Maryland Governor Wes Moore has signed into law a bill that will expand Maryland employers’ pay transparency obligations.  Effective October 1, 2024, employers must disclose in public or internal job postings a good faith wage range and a general description of benefits and other compensation offered for the…

By: Rania Abboud For many highly skilled international workers, securing an H-1B visa in the United States can be elusive. With this year’s lottery results announced, employers find themselves exploring alternative strategies to retain invaluable talent. Among these strategies is the consideration of relocating talent to Canada, where a range…

Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Supreme Court concluded that the “good faith” defense applies to claims seeking to impose penalties under California Labor Code section 226. An employee must show that an employer’s failure to comply with section 226(a) was both knowing and intentional in order to establish an entitlement to…

Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 23, 2024, the Department of Labor released its latest attempt to amend its 1975 “fiduciary rule” and seven prohibited transaction class exemptions issued between 1975 and 2020 that investment advice fiduciaries have relied in connection with sales of common investment products like securities, mutual funds and…

Special Purpose Entities in Commercial Real Estate Transactions Corporate structures in commercial real estate transactions can often be very complex and involve layers of entities. Special purpose entities that are bankruptcy remote (“SPEs”) are frequently used in commercial real estate loans to limit certain risks associated with a bankruptcy filing…

AddressSeyfarth Shaw Hong Kong OfficeSuite 3701 & 3708-3710, 37FEdinburgh Tower, The Landmark15 Queen’s Road CentralCentral, Hong Kong Tuesday, 21 May 2024 (HKT)8.30 – 9.00 a.m. Check-in and Breakfast9.00 – 10.00 a.m. Roundtable10.00 – 10.30 a.m. RefreshmentsBreakfast will remain available during the roundtable CostThere is no cost to attend, but registration…

Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 29, 2024, the Department of Labor published extensive guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in hiring and employment. While the guidance is addressed to federal contractors, all private-sector employers using or considering using artificial intelligence should pay attention. The guidance makes clear that long-standing nondiscrimination…

By: Matthew J. Gagnon Seyfarth Synopsis: In its seminal decision, Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia, the Supreme Court held that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is tantamount to discrimination on the basis of sex. Employers are just beginning to grasp the wide-ranging impact that decision will…

Last week on April 23, 2024, the FTC adopted a final rule that would effectively ban non-compete agreements in the context of employment relationships when the rule becomes effective on September 4, 2024, absent a stay or injunctive relief.  The rule would render unenforceable a broad array of employment-based non-competition…

Seyfarth Synopsis: In Mobley v. Workday, the EEOC filed an amicus brief supporting a class-action plaintiff's theory that a Human Resources software company could be directly liable for employment discrimination allegedly caused by the vendor's artificial intelligence tool under theories that the organization was acting as an employment agency, indirect…

On April 23, 2024, the FTC announced its Final Non-Compete Clause Rule (“Final Rule”), which bans post-employment non-compete clauses between employers and their workers. The Final Rule becomes effective 120 days after being published in the Federal Register (Effective Date).[1] As of the date of this paper, the Final Rule…

On April 18, 2024, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released further guidance regarding to Corporate Transparency Act compliance (CTA) by updating and expanding the Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting Rule (FAQs). Importantly, the updates provide insight on BO access by…

The USPTO’s recent guidance on AI usage marks a critical moment for legal practitioners. This document emphasizes the necessity for both technical and human oversight in mitigating the risks associated with AI tools. The agency is committed to leveraging AI’s benefits across society while ensuring that these technologies do not…

What You Need to Know: Governor Kathy Hochul approved the Fiscal Year 2025 New York State Budget (the “NYS 2025 Budget”) on April 20, 2024. Several leave-related topics affecting private employers are impacted by the NYS 2025 Budget. Most notably, a new paid prenatal personal leave entitlement was added to…

This afternoon, the FTC voted to adopt a proposed final rule banning most non-competes with workers in the United States. The final rule provides that it is an unfair method of competition—and therefore a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act—for employers to enter into non-competes with workers. The…

On April 18, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Justice Department (“DOJ”), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) launched an online reporting portal, HealthyCompetition.gov, for the public to report potentially unfair and anticompetitive health care practices. The online reporting portal provides examples of unfair and anticompetitive…

ATLANTA (April 24, 2024) – Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced today the arrival of partner Michael Delaney to the firm’s Corporate department. Delaney joins Seyfarth from Bryan Cave, where he was counsel in the corporate and finance transactions group. Delaney’s multifaceted public and private company experience, along with his successful track…

Seyfarth synopsis: Today, the U.S. DOL unveiled its final overtime rule. The rule significantly increases the minimum salary for so-called “white collar” employees to be exempt from the federal FLSA’s overtime pay requirements. This development requires attention from virtually all employers. The DOL’s final overtime rule, Defining and Delimiting the…

Seyfarth Synopsis: The United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in one of the most anticipated employment cases of this term. In Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, the Court considered whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in transfer decisions absent a separate showing…

LOS ANGELES (April 16, 2024) - Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced today the addition of a three-lawyer team to its labor and employment department further expanding its service offerings nationally and internationally. The trio of prominent employment litigators joins Seyfarth from Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP. Clifford “Seth” Sethness has built…

Apr. 17, 2024  – As most California employers are now aware, a new workplace violence law (SB 553) requires essentially all CA employers to develop and implement written Workplace Violence Prevention Plans and training by July 1, 2024. The new requirements will be enforced by Cal/OSHA. Cost  –  There is no cost to…

Seyfarth Synopsis: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced a Temporary Final Rule extending the automatic extension period for certain Employment Authorization Document (EAD) renewal applicants from up to 180 days to up to 540 days. On April 4, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a…

Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 14, 2024, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation that would prohibit employers from obtaining or using a true credit report for employment purposes. The proposed law, which includes only limited exceptions, would be one of the most restrictive of its kind in the country. The…

On December 22, 2023 the State of New York adopted the New York LLC Transparency Act (as amended to date, the “NY LLCTA”). The NY LLCTA in many respects follows the federal Corporate Transparency Act (together with any regulations promulgated thereunder, the “CTA”). However, one material difference is that unlike…

Seyfarth Synopsis: A series from our seasoned and successful Boston L&E Trial Team will explore the latest trends in jury trials in a time of explosive verdicts, Reptile tactics, polarization, and an election year. We’ll offer practical strategies on how to maximize your chance of a total defense verdict, despite these…

Tennessee has joined the ranks of states regulating, in various ways, the use of artificial intelligence to manipulate an individual’s likeness.  On March 21, 2024, Gov. Bill Lee said “thank you very much” to the Tennessee legislature and signed into law the Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security (“ELVIS”) Act…