Zenefits Offering Payouts to Former Employees Not Paid Out for PTO
12/17/15
By: Allison Shrallow
The perks of working at a startup know no bounds. From restaurant-quality meals, in-office massages, yoga classes, transportation, and beer and wine on tap to game rooms, dog-friendly offices, and casual dress code, startup culture blurs the …
When is Housework Not Housework? Differences in Interpreting Georgia and Federal Minimum Wage Laws
12/17/15
By: Michael Hill
When it comes to interpreting statutes, the devil is in the details. The Georgia Supreme Court ruled recently that employees for third-party providers of in-home personal care services were not prohibited from receiving Georgia’s minimum wage even …
Litigation Could Force Flesh-Detection Injury Mitigation Technology Into All Tablesaws
12/15/15
By: Dan Nicholson
Following a big win for plaintiff, William Anderson, against Ryobi and Homelite manufacturer, Techtronic Industries North America, Inc. in Florida last month, the internet has been buzzing on what lies ahead for table saw manufacturers and consumers …
A Bumpy Road Ahead: More Uber Drivers to Join Misclassification Class Action Lawsuit
12/11/15
By: Allison Shrallow
Living in San Francisco, the mecca of all things tech, can make a person very accustomed to getting everything on-demand. Need groceries? Use Instacart. Want someone to clean your home? Try Handy. Looking for a date? Consider …
Does Insurer Have Duty to Defend Non-Covered Lawsuit When Insured Proclaims Innocence?
11/23/15
By: Bill Buechner
An insurer’s duty to defend is generally determined by comparing the allegations in the complaint to the insurance policy. If the allegations in the complaint arguably or potentially bring the claim within coverage, the insurer has a …
Arbitration Agreements Cannot Change the Rules for Judicial Review of a Final Award
11/18/15
By: Bart Gary
Agreements to arbitrate are now uniformly enforceable throughout the country. While some states have shown reluctance to enforce arbitration agreements because they are seen as ousting the courts of jurisdictions, an agreement that evidences commerce among the …
Houston Voters Reject Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Antidiscrimination Law
11/18/15
By: Tim Holdsworth
In one of the most closely watched votes on Election Day 2015, citizens of Houston overwhelmingly voted to repeal the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (“HERO”). Passed by the city council last year, the ordinance augmented federal and …
U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Fifth Circuit on Whether Officer is Entitled to Qualified Immunity
11/16/15
By: Coleen Hosack
On November 9, 2015, the Supreme Court reversed the Fifth Circuit’s decision to uphold a district court ruling denying summary judgment to Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Chadrin Mullenix, the sole issue being whether Mullenix was …
Homeland Security Alert for Georgia Local Governments: Don't Miss End of Year Deadlines
11/12/15
By: Coleen Hosack
I. Public Benefits Report pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 50-36-4 and Immigration Compliance Reports pursuant to O.C.G.A. §§ 36-60-6(e) & 13-10-91(7)(A)
An annual immigration compliance report to the Department of Audits and Accounts (http://www.audits.ga.gov/) is due …
Obama "Bans the Box" to Give Ex-Offenders a Shot at Employment
11/6/15
By: Nina Maja Bergmar
This week, President Obama announced the Administration’s latest effort to reintegrate ex-offenders into society—this time by “banning the box.”
The “box,” of course, refers to the question on job applications of whether the applicant has been …
The Wrong Way to Respond to a Data Breach
11/5/15
By: Dave Cole
In a recent interview with Entrepreneur Magazine, the former general counsel for the National Security Agency shared his top three mistakes that businesses make when responding to a data breach. You can read the complete article here…
Data Breaches Expected to Fuel D&O Claims Premised on Inadequate Board Oversight Over Cyber Security Risks
10/30/15
By: John Goselin and Mike Wolak
With the recent filing of a shareholder derivative action against several directors and officers of The Home Depot following the company’s severe data breach in 2014, questions concerning the adequacy of board oversight over …