Labor Relations / Unions

NLRB continues its attack on neutral employment policies

10/09/2012

The NLRB has continued its assault on garden-variety employment policies, issuing three decisions in recent weeks, each of which concluded that facially neutral employment policies violated employees’ rights to engage in protected concerted activity.

Confidentiality instructions under attack by the NLRB and EEOC

10/09/2012

In a recent case, the NLRB issued a decision holding that a hospital violated the National Labor Relations Act by asking employees who had filed a complaint not to discuss it with co-workers while the investigation was pending. Shortly after, in a different case, the EEOC took a similar position.

NLRB sets new limits on your off-duty employee access rules

09/26/2012

Does your organization set restrictions on when and where off-duty employees can access your workplace? If so, you should review a new NLRB ruling that narrows the circumstances under which you can keep off-duty workers off your premises.

NLRB targets at-will disclaimers, off-duty employee access

09/21/2012

Recent months have seen the NLRB take efforts to regulate employer activity in new and often unprecedented ways. Two recent attacks include challenges to “at-will” statements and disclaimers in employee handbooks and restrictions on an employer’s right to limit access to its property by off-duty employees.

Portsmouth couple sentenced for embezzling union funds

09/17/2012

A union official will have 366 days to contemplate her actions after being convicted of embezzling from Portsmouth’s Carpenters Union Local 437.

Horseshoe Casino Cleveland employees vote to unionize

09/13/2012

On Aug. 16, an arbiter certified election results allowing employees at the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland to collectively bargain under the banner of the Cleveland Casino Workers Council.

At work and online: NLRB restricts employers’ social media rules

09/10/2012

Many employers have social media policies that attempt to control what employees say on social media. Policies that overreach may violate the NLRA. In response, the NLRB has issued a memorandum summarizing key points in its recent decisions concerning social media.

Unions try to revive NLRB poster requirement

09/05/2012

The National Labor Relations Board hasn’t given up on its bid to require U.S. employers to display a workplace poster that notifies workers of their rights to form or join a union.

Tread carefully when unions settle wage claims

09/04/2012

The DOL generally takes a dim view of any attempt to negotiate away employees’ rights under the FLSA. For example, unions can’t say “no thanks” to the minimum wage or overtime pay during collective bargaining. However, there’s a difference between losing rights through the bargaining process and accepting a settlement that resolves conflicting wage claims.

NLRB takes aim at at-will clauses in employee handbooks

08/22/2012

In a continuation of its recent anti-employer rulings, the National Labor Relations Board is now focusing on a staple of employee handbooks—at-will employment clauses that notify employees they can be terminated at any time for any lawful reason.