By Jill Kahn Marshall and Anna Beckelman The New York State Senate recently passed Senate Bill S372, also known as the No Severance Ultimatums Act, which would add a new Section 215-d to the New York Labor Law in order to “ensure that all New Yorkers are provided protections when...
RPJ’s Deena Merlen was recently interviewed by Business Insider about Microsoft’s large-scale waves of layoffs. Asked whether Microsoft’s recent actions are actually unlawful, Ms. Merlen noted that some employees may seek to argue that they were chosen to be included in the layoffs not because of non-discriminatory, performance-based reasons as...
This week’s Fortune Newsletter addressing the recent scrutiny Meta is facing for its controversial workplace practice, keeping “do not hire” lists concerning Meta’s former employees, featured comments from RPJ Partner Alice Jump. This practice, while uncommon, is not unheard of for companies and essentially serves as an identifier of employees...
As civil rights activists recently called on consumers to mount a one-day boycott of Target in late February, Vogue Business asked, “Is a consumer boycott brewing in the US?” That question has been squarely answered as calls for such boycotts have multiplied in protest of companies retreating from their diversity,...
RPJ Partner Deena R. Merlen spoke with Fortune last week about Kelly Stonelake’s lawsuit filed earlier this month against Meta (formerly known as Facebook). Stonelake, who worked at the tech giant for fifteen years, accuses Meta of egregious sex discrimination and retaliation in violation of state discrimination laws in Washington...
In a recent article for ArsTechnica, RPJ’s Deena R. Merlen commented on Dell's return-to-office (RTO) mandate, set to take effect on March 3. This policy requires employees who live within an hour of an office to return full-time in-person. Those living farther away may continue working remotely, though the specifics...
Last week, RPJ’s Alice K. Jump was interviewed by P&C Specialist to discuss the rise of stricter return-to-office (RTO) policies, and how employers should navigate possible employee dissatisfaction in response to these policies. In the article, Ms. Jump identifies ways in which employers can protect themselves from liability when responding...
By Jill Kahn Marshall and Anna Beckelman In a recent bright spot for defenders of reproductive rights, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has ruled in CompassCare et al. v. Hochul that employers in New York State must still provide notice to their employees regarding New...
In a recent interview for Charter Works, RPJ’s Gregory P. Feit discusses the January 10, 2025 federal court ruling in Texas, which declared that ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing is illegal in managing 401(k) funds. The case, Spence v. American Airlines, Inc., revolves around BlackRock’s management of American Airlines...
By Alice K. Jump, Ethan Krasnoo, and Deena Merlen In his inaugural speech on January 20th, President Trump articulated his vision for America under his administration, promising to create a “colorblind and merit-based” society. On January 21st, President Trump signed an Executive Order (one of many he has penned in...