This week, we look at two significant court decisions for employers and bring you a practical update on new bereavement leave rules in Illinois.

Video: YouTubeVimeo.

Podcast: Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsOvercastSpotifyStitcher.

SCOTUS: FAA Preempts California's PAGA Loophole

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that an individual claim under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) is subject to an arbitration agreement. This ruling will apply to all pending and future PAGA litigation involving otherwise enforceable arbitration agreements with class and representative action waivers. Read more.

Fifth Circuit Rules COVID-19 Is Not a Natural Disaster Under WARN

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held last week that the onset of COVID-19 did not qualify as a “natural disaster” that would have exempted a drilling company from providing employees with Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notices in March 2020. This is the first appellate court to rule on this issue.  

Illinois Expands Bereavement Leave

Following a growing nationwide trend, Illinois recently enacted amendments to its Child Bereavement Leave Act, a law which previously permitted employees to take up to 10 unpaid workdays to mourn the loss of a child. Read more.

Other Highlights

COVID-19 WORKFORCE (re)sources
Click here to see what the federal government and state and local governments have done recently to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employers, Are You Ready for a Possible Post-Roe Workplace?
Workforce Bulletin
Jennifer Barna, Sahar Shiralian, Gretchen Harders, Lucas Peterhans

New York’s Enactment of the Adult Survivors Act: What You Need to Know
Workforce Bulletin
Melissa Jampol, Lori Medley

For Your Benefit … Understanding Machine-Readable Files
Audiocast
Tzvia Feiertag, Cassandra Labbees, Karen Mandelbaum, Steve Parente

About Employment Law This Week

Employment Law This Week® gives a rundown of the top developments in employment and labor law and workforce management in a matter of minutes every #WorkforceWednesday. 

SUBSCRIBE TO #WORKFORCEWEDNESDAY

Prefer to Listen?

You can subscribe to Employment Law This Week episodes on your preferred podcast platform – Amazon Music / AudibleApple Podcasts, Audacy, DeezerGoogle PodcastsiHeartRadio, Overcast, PandoraPlayer FM, Spotify.

Spread the Word

Megaphone

Would your colleagues, professional network, or friends benefit from #WorkforceWednesday? Please like and share the edition each week on LinkedInFacebook, X, and YouTube, and encourage your connections to subscribe for email notifications.

Trouble viewing the video? Please contact thisweek@ebglaw.com and mention whether you were at home or working within a corporate network. We'd also love your suggestions for topics and guests!

EMPLOYMENT LAW THIS WEEK® is a registered trademark of Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Back to Series
Jump to Page

Privacy Preference Center

When you visit any website, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings. However, blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information.

Performance Cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance.