Employment Law, Business Litigation & Personal Injury Legal Updates
New Guidance on Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency FLMA- Families First Coronavirus Response Act – NEW Effective Date- April 1, 2020
U.S. Department of Labor, which will be enforcing the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), recently issued guidance on the Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Emergency FMLA: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-questions...
Families First Coronavirus Response Act Passes
On March 18, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed the amended H.R. 6201 today, which the President has signed. Some highlights are: FMLA: Expansion of FMLA to all employers under 500 employees, requiring paid FML leave for limited purposes. This component of the law has a 10...
Coronavirus and the Workplace – Steps to Take Now
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has now spread worldwide. Employers must take steps now to prepare for both practical and legal workplace issues. Companies should prepare for a potential community outbreak and should consider COVID-19 prevention, as well as...
2020 Brings State and Federal Wage Increases
Arizona and Flagstaff Minimum Wage Increases Arizona’s state minimum wage once again increased; effective January 1, 2020, all non-tipped employees must be paid at least $12.00 per hour. Additionally, Flagstaff’s minimum wage increased to...
Arizona Minimum Wage Set To Increase January 1, 2020
Arizona’s minimum wage is set to increase to $12.00 effective January 1, 2020. This increase represents the largest hike under the wage statute, known as the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act (the “Act”). The Act raises Arizona’s...
OVERTIME CHANGES: New Information
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has published the following additional resources regarding the new overtime changes: A fact sheet titled, “Final Rule to Update the Regulations Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, and Professional...
OVERTIME UPDATE: $35,568 Is the New Salary Threshold for Exempt Employees
Effective January 1, 2020, U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will implement new thresholds for exemption from both the overtime and minimum wage provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The long-awaited updates to the rule...
WARNING: Overtime Pay Must Include Premium on Incentive Compensation
As one employer recently learned the hard way, failing to include incentive compensation (bonuses) when calculating earned over time is a costly mistake. Following a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division (WHD) investigation, Younger Brothers Companies...
New Arizona State Law Requires COBRA for Small Businesses Effective January 1, 2019
As of January 1, 2019, Arizona’s “Mini-COBRA” requires small business offer separating employees continuing health care coverage. Businesses with less than 20 employees do not have federal COBRA responsibilities, however, this new law mandates that small employers in...
Arizona Labor Laws – Termination Pay and 2019 Rules on Final Paychecks in Arizona
Ending employment can be stressful; getting paid should be easy. State and federal laws address the payment of wages, including when employment ends. The relevant federal law is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which currently mandates a minimum wage of...
Minimum Wage Increases Effective January 1, 2019
With some limited exceptions, Arizona employers must pay all full-time, part-time, and temporary employees at least the minimum wage for every hour (or partial hour) the employee works. Pursuant to Arizona's Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act ("the Arizona...
Employment Severance Agreements: To Sign or Not to Sign, That Is the Question
Let’s start with the basics. Employers seldom offer a Severance Agreement to employees who voluntarily resign: why entice or reward a good employee to leave the company? Moreover, critical terms in handbooks or other policy statements,...
Give Me a Break; What Breaks Are Required in Arizona?
Employees are often surprised to learn that Arizona law does not require employers to grant meal or rest/smoke breaks to their employees. Neither does any federal law. Meal Breaks: However, if an Arizona employer decides to grant meal breaks, the federal Fair Labor...
Supreme Court Issues Pro-Employer Ruling on Class Action Waivers In Arbitration Agreements
On May 21, 2018, the Supreme Court settled the contentious class action waiver issue that has riled courts for the past six years. In a 5-4 opinion, the Court in Epic Systems Corporation v. Lewis, Supreme Court of the United States, Nos. 16–285, 16–300,...
Thinking about finding your ancestors through DNA testing? Know the possible consequences before you do, and also know the protections against misuse of your genetic (DNA) information in your workplace.
Learning more about just where our grandparents, great-grandparents and even multiple “greats” came from, seems to bring us joy and add to our feelings of connectedness to our families and the countries where they once lived. This has been made possible and popular...