Supreme Court Will Be Busy With Employment Law

As we begin the new year, employers and lawyers may wonder what is in store for employment law in 2011. One of the biggest agents of change is the highest court in the land - the U.S. Supreme Court. This year, the court will decide a full docket of employment law cases, including some monumental ones that could have a drastic impact on the workplace.

At least four cases will arise from the typically employee-friendly U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which encompasses the federal districts of Oregon, Washington, California and six other western states. Most people know that the West Coast is traditionally more liberal than the rest of the country. What many don't know is that the Supreme Court often steps in to make sure the West Coast doesn't become too liberal. If history is any indication, there is a good chance that the court will overturn all four of these cases, because it reverses the decisions of the 9th Circuit court more often than any other.

With oral arguments already completed in more than half the cases, employment lawyers and employers are eagerly awaiting the court's upcoming decisions.

This article appeared in the January 6, 2011 issue of The Daily Journal of Commerce.