Fisher Phillips in the News Archive

In an interview with Bloomberg Law, Bob Robenalt discusses the Senate GOP's proposed virus-relief legislation and its plan to replace the across-the-board unemployment supplement with a more complex model linked to a person’s prior wages.

Fisher Phillips’ COVID-19 Employment Litigation Tracker continues to be the go-to resource for reporters seeking information on the uptick of claims across the U.S. Cheddar and Risk Management recently referenced the firm’s tracker and spoke with New York partner, Melissa Camire, and Senior Director of Knowledge Management, Evan Shenkman, in their coverage of the developing litigation trend.

In a recent interview with MarketWatch, Sarah Wieselthier explores whether COVID-19 can be considered a disability under the American with Disabilities Act.

MarketWatch was asked whether an employee’s relative could get financial assistance from the employer to help pay for the costs associated with the relative’s death due to coronavirus. In its response, MarketWatch relied, in part, on the valuable information found in a recent blog post written by Jerry Cline.

In an interview with Construction Dive about Virginia’s regulatory mandate regarding COVID-19 safety measures in the workplace, Nick Hulse explains why other states and the federal government may not enact similar emergency standards.

FreightWaves cited to Jim Sullivan’s legal alert explaining what employers need to know about a recent New Jersey Supreme Court ruling.

A group of nursing homes was cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for failures related to the use of N95 respirator masks tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with SHRM, Chantell Foley wants employers to understand that this is “…just the beginning of OSHA’s COVID-19-related citations.”

Employees who aren't covered under federal and state family and medical leave laws may be eligible for leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In an interview with SHRM, partner Susan Hiser explains that “…how much leave should be granted as a reasonable accommodation must occur on a case-by-case basis through an interactive dialogue with the employee, which is known as the interactive process.”

In a recent interview with Newsday, New York partner Seth Kaufman helps explain the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) recent guidance on pandemic-related harassment and reasonable accommodations.

In an interview with the Detroit Free Press, Stephen Gee talked about Michigan’s face mask mandate and how he and his colleagues have been advicing employers to comply.

In an interview with Law Week Colorado, Kristin White points out the limitations and potential concerns surrounding Colorado's whistleblower protection law .

Fisher Phillips, one of the country’s preeminent labor and employment law firms representing employers, announces the expansion of its California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) Task Force, a dedicated team of attorneys who stand readily available to assist clients with CCPA compliance matters as enforcement ramps up across California.

In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Alden Parker explains that restaurants are still struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He says many restaurant owners tapped the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and negotiated breaks with their landlords, but now after the PPP loans have been spent and landlords want to be paid, some restaurants may be unable to survive further closures.

A Bloomberg Law article noted that “[i]nspections of health-care facilities by federal and state workplace safety officials are mounting and most have been prompted by Covid-19 issues.” Fisher Phillips Workplace Safety Co-Chair, Travis Vance, explains that this rise of inspections should prompt healthcare employers to take certain steps to avoid citations.

Many employers are considering COVID-19 waivers for their employees, and in an interview with SHRM, attorney Benjamin Ross shares his thoughts on when and if such waivers should be used.

In a televised interview with WSYX in Columbus, partner Steve Loewengart discusses the potential legal liability area school districts face when reopening amid the pandemic.

In an interview with Construction Equipment Guide, Benjamin Ross discusses the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s revised Hours of Service regulations.

Senate Republicans are pushing to pass a virus liability shield for businesses that would give them an advantage in litigation but wouldn’t necessarily spare them the time and expense of defending themselves in court. Depending on how the federal proposal gets written, companies would have to show their business operations didn’t amount to gross negligence amid the pandemic. Karl Lindegren, co-chair of Fisher Phillips’ California Litigation practice, tells Bloomberg Law that even if Congress passes liability limits related to virus exposure, COVID-19-related workplace suits won’t likely be addressed. 

In a Q&A with Louisville Business First, partner Laurel Cornell discusses some of the risks and considerations for employers as they begin to reopen their businesses amid the pandemic.

Fisher Phillips, one of the country’s preeminent labor and employment law firms representing employers, announces the expansion of its California footprint with the official launch of an office in Woodland Hills. The new Woodland Hills office is the firm’s sixth in California along with five other locations in Irvine, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco.

Effective July 1, the DOL has stopped seeking double damages – often referred to as liquidated damages – in many cases that it settles before suing but will seek them in litigation. Michelle Anderson explained to SHRM that liquidated damages are a multiplier of any back wages owed.

Fisher Phillips, one of the country’s preeminent labor and employment law firms representing employers, and Blue J Legal, the leading provider of AI-backed legal predictions, announced today an innovative partnership to apply cutting-edge predictive technology to employment litigation in the United States.

In an interview with HR Dive, Randy Coffey explains how the historic Bostock ruling could impact workplace policies.

In a recent interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Howard Mavity shed light on how employers should respond if employees test positive.

In an interview with Louisville Business First, Laurel Cornell discusses the legal issues associated with some of the new technology developed by Louisville-area entrepreneurs to help employers get back to business during COVID-19.

Using data collected by Fisher Phillips’ COVID-19 Employment Litigation Tracker, the firm’s Litigation Team found that of the 283 COVID-19-related lawsuits filed in federal and state courts, 122 – or 43% -- were filed in the month of June. In interviews with Business Insurance, Claims Journal, and Law360, Melissa Camire and Kristen Nesbit, members of the firm’s Litigation Team, delve into the data.

In a recent interview with SHRM, Monica Snyder shares insight on the legal risks with implementing facial analysis and artificial intelligence in the workplace. She recommends that employers tread carefully on how they use this technology.

In an interview with the Denver Business Journal, Regional Managing Partner Mike Greco explains how the move to a new office has offered plenty of unforeseen benefits as he works through the challenges of bringing employees physically back together. 

Regional Managing Partner, Mike Greco, discussed the Denver office move in a feature interview with Law Week Colorado.

In an interview with the Mississippi Business Journal, Steve Cupp shares his insights on how the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Bostock will impact employers.

In an interview with Bloomberg Law regarding a recent case involving a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to release unredacted safety records, Ed Foulke explains that the precedential value of this particular case could extend beyond California.

Fisher Phillips, a national workplace law firm representing employers, has found an explosion of COVID-19-related workplace claims in June and has identified key areas where employers may be vulnerable to litigation stemming from the pandemic. Using data collected by Fisher Phillips’ COVID-19 Employment Litigation Tracker, the firm found that of the 283 COVID-19-related lawsuits filed in federal and state courts, 122 – or 43% – were filed in the month of June. Fisher Phillips has published a full report on the findings which can be found here.

In a recent interview with North Carolina Lawyers Weekly, David Klass explained the impact the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia will have on employers across North Carolina.

In an interview with Law360, Chantell Foley discussed the most recent OSHA guidance meant to keep people safe from COVID-19 as they return to the workplace.

In an interview with U.S. News & World Report, Patrick Dennison provides insight into the Main Street Lending program.

As businesses reopen, the practice of asking customers to sign COVID-19 liability waivers is increasing throughout the United States, but it is uncertain how much weight those waivers will carry in court. In an interview with ABA Journal, Tyler Rasmussen explains how businesses should navigate this unchartered territory and what employers should know about using these waivers

In a series of online presentations through The Virtual Hospitality Law Conference, Andria Ryan, co-chair of Fisher Phillips’ Hospitality Industry Team, explained several legal issues hoteliers will likely navigate as their workforce returns. Hotel News Now covered the conference, including Ryan’s recommendations for reopening hotels.

Fisher Phillips, a national labor and employment law firm representing employers, announces that its Denver office has moved to the city’s Central Business District. The firm has doubled its physical footprint and now occupies 20,235 square feet, the entire 24th floor of the Chase office building located at 1125 17th St.

On June 22nd the President issued an immigration proclamation which, in part, barred the entry of foreign executives and other skilled workers from the U.S. through 2020 and potentially longer. In an interview with Law Week Colorado, partner Jocelyn Campanaro discussed how the suspension on foreign workers could create hardship for many employers.

In an interview with SHRM, Kathleen Caminiti explains the impact of the DOL’s opinion letter that provides analysis of the administrative exemption.

Alden Parker, partner and co-chair of Fisher Phillips’ Hospitality Industry team recently spoke with The Associated Press on how restaurants are deciding to reopen their doors amid a resurgence of COVID infections.

In an interview with SHRM, Nashville lawyers Joe Shelton and Ariel Kelly share insights for employers who may be dealing with employees who have faked a coronavirus-related illness to get out of work.

The Federal Reserve recently launched its $600 billion Main Street Lending Program, part of the national relief package for loans and bonds in response to COVID-19. Patrick Dennison spoke with the Charlotte Business Journal about why businesses may not be so quick to participate in the program.

In an interview with SHRM, Jeff Smith and Randy Coffey share their insights about how the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Bostock on June 15, 2020 will impact employers.

On Tuesday, June 24, the Virginia Safety and Health Code Board (the Board) voted in favor of adopting an emergency temporary standard for workplaces that will be enforceable as part of the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health program. In a Washington Post article on the topic, Fisher Phillips was referenced as having submitted comments on the rules in advance of the Board’s vote.

On June 22, 2020 the firm announced the addition of Edward Hopkins as a Partner in the firm’s Denver office. In an interview with Law360, Ed discussed why he was drawn to Fisher Phillips and what he hopes to accomplish as part of the firm’s Data Security and Workplace Privacy practice.

On June 22nd the President issued an immigration proclamation which, in part, blocked foreign executives and other skilled workers from moving to the U.S. through 2020 and potentially longer. In an interview with Law360, Davis Bae and other immigration attorneys expressed concern that the Administration’s action could end up pushing more job opportunities abroad to countries with more welcoming immigration systems.

Business Insurance reported on Kristin White’s and Todd Logdon’s comments about marijuana and workplace safety at the American Society of Safety Professionals annual conference.

In an interview with Business Insurance, Randy Coffey discussed what employers should expect in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's June 15, 2020 workplace discrimination ruling.

Fisher Phillips, a national labor and employment law firm representing employers, announces the addition of Edward Hopkins as a Partner in the firm’s Denver office. Ed joins as part of the firm’s Data Security and Workplace Privacy Practice Group and will collaborate closely with the Employee Defection and Trade Secrets Practice Group.