Insights

The ERR Midwinter Meeting will offer a wide range of thought-provoking and topical educational programming. Several years in the making, the subcommittees have joined forces to offer a mock trial that combines theory and practice in a multi-panel presentation. Presented through four separate panels, the mock trial will explore investigations, whistleblower and retaliation claims, and collateral torts. Other panels will discuss the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and its effect on labor and employment matters, emergency ethics matters, the future of employment arbitration agreements, and new developments in international labor and employment law.

Crowell & Moring partners Toni Jackson and Eric Su to present at the 16th Annual ABA Section of  Labor & Employment Law conference in Washington, DC. 

This retailer-only roundtable discussion provides a safe space to take a deeper dive into the issues discussed in the morning’s plenary session on union organizing. We will provide attendees an opportunity to share experiences and exchange best practices on responses to the current wave of union organizing and more aggressive union demands, including an increased willingness to engage in economic strikes. Are you contemplating a different strategy regarding union organizing and, if so, what are the core principles? How are we, as employers in a time of dramatic change and economic uncertainty, able to address concerns that are front of mind to employees? 

Over the past few years, criminal and civil government agencies engaged in increased enforcement efforts around the Home Health Industry. These efforts show no sign of slowing, and are focused on Wage Parity Act compliance. The federal, state, and local enforcement agencies scrutinizing Home Health Industry employers and fiscal intermediaries include the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York; the United States Department of Labor; the New York State Attorney General’s Office, the Office of Medicaid Inspector General, and the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs. 

Despite the shifting markets, new risks, and the continued need to stay on top of the mountain of legal and regulatory requirements, government contractors are managing to continue the challenging climb. Solid footing and a trusted team and resources are necessary to take advantage of efficiencies and minimize risks in contracting as well as maximize opportunities both for growth and recovery.

BDO USA LLP, Crowell & Moring, and RBG Retirement Benefits Group invite you and your colleagues to a complimentary program. Our featured speaker, Anmol Sinha, will discuss PIMCO’s analysis of the elections and their effects on the market along with our other experts discussing benefit plan compliance, litigation and tax strategies for the upcoming year.

With the momentum growing for reform in a variety of regulatory areas but not yet coalesced into specific objectives, the time is right for government contractors to dive into uncharted waters. Contractors have a unique opportunity to shape those reform efforts in ways that make contracting more efficient and less burdensome, and maximize opportunities for growth.

In July this year, the Belgian federal government reached a budgetary agreement that will lead to significant socioeconomic reforms. By December, most of the relevant legislative texts will have been implemented, and on December 13, Crowell & Moring has invited two Advisors from the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (FEB / VBO) to discuss the HR related reforms. In the company of these knowledgeable and experienced professionals, we will bring you up to speed on new developments such as those regarding new notice periods, a new tax-friendly company profit premium, a new right for employees to be offline and related anti-burnout measures, mystery calls from the social inspection unit, the new ‘cash for car’ principle, the impact of GDPR on HR, etc.

The start of a new administration in Washington, D.C. is historically a time of uncertainty and anticipated change for companies who deal with the government. President Trump has launched 2017 with bold statements about reforming the federal government, improving efficiencies, reducing regulatory burdens, and dismantling entire agencies and programs, while promising to inject significant investment into infrastructure and defense and to increase enforcement activities. At this early stage, the question remains – how will these dramatic changes and policy initiatives affect companies that deal with the government?

The start of a new administration in Washington, D.C. is historically a time of uncertainty and anticipated change for contractors, and President Trump has launched 2017 with particularly bold statements about reforming the federal government, improving efficiencies, reducing regulatory burdens, and dismantling entire agencies and programs, while promising to inject significant investment into infrastructure and defense. At this early stage, the question remains – how will these dramatic changes and policy initiatives affect government contractors?

With the upcoming social elections in mind, our seminar will be a useful recap of the rules governing Protected Employees. These include:

Diversity and inclusion are essential to the growth and prosperity of any organization. Diversity of perspectives, experiences, cultures, genders, and age breeds innovation, while inclusion ensures that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to that success and that the diversity play is not just a tick box on a corporate score card. 

Join us for a discussion on how President Obama has used Executive Orders to replace Congressional action in creating new obligations for federal contractors and other employers.

Over the past five years, as the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) has grown in size and scope, the pace of change in all aspects of legal services has accelerated, driven by the forces of technology and globalization. "We're living through one of the greatest disruptions in history," says Professor David Wilkins of Harvard Law School. "The legal profession is never going to be the same." 

The next social elections are scheduled for 9 - 22 May 2016. This implies that the election procedure will already start in December 2015. Therefore, it is high time for companies to define their social elections strategy in order to be fully prepared when the social elections process starts. 

The four session course will be taught by experienced lawyers from the law firm of Crowell & Moring who have substantial expertise in dealing with employment law matters. The course is designed to give participants a comprehensive overview of the employment laws that impact nonprofits, including laws dealing with employment discrimination, minimum wage and overtime and family medical leave. It will also discuss how to determine if someone should be treated as an independent contractor or an employee.

Please join us for the next edition of Third Thursday – Crowell & Moring’s Labor and Employment Update, a webinar series dedicated to helping our clients stay on top of developing law and emerging compliance issues. The EEOC has brought several lawsuits, including a widely-publicized case filed in Chicago against the CVS pharmacy chain, challenging several provisions commonly used by employers in settlement and release agreements. EEOC claims that such provisions inappropriately chill the right of the Commission to enforce Title VII and, by implication, other EEO statutes. These cases raise tricky questions about standard language use in many settlement agreements, including non-disparagement clauses and provisions requiring ongoing cooperation by former employees. Other cases, including private party litigation challenging the terms of release agreements intended to comply with the complex provisions of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, reveal several open issues about how best to frame release agreements, particularly in workforce restructuring situations. These developments make it a good time for employers to take another look at their waiver and release agreements. A panel of Crowell & Moring lawyers will review these issues in a roundtable discussion. We will focus on practical solutions for employers seeking enforceable settlement agreements. This webinar is scheduled for Thursday, August 21 at 12:00 pm EDT. We hope that you can join us for this timely and lively discussion.