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Inherently Concerted Activities

On March 31, 2021, Peter Sung Ohr, Acting General Counsel (GC) of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) issued a Memorandum (GC 21-03) to all NLRB Regional Offices outlining his perspective regarding the prosecution of charges involving whether certain employee conduct constitutes protected, concerted activities.  The GC Memorandum is of significance to all […]

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JM
Of Counsel

Mail or In-Person Voting? The NLRB Issues Guidance on Representation Elections During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As with many other facets of life, the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting how the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) handles representation cases. This week, in Aspirus Keweenaw & Michigan Nurses Ass’n, Petitioner, 370 NLRB No. 45 (2020), the NLRB adopted a new framework for the manner in which union elections should be conducted. Click here to […]

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JL
Partner
RB
Former Associate

Employees’ Refusal to Work Over Coronavirus Concerns

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, most businesses were faced with making difficult decisions regarding their workforce. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that, in April, the unemployment rate rose to 14.7 percent totaling 23.1 million unemployed. While the number of new unemployment claims appears to be dropping, for the week ending May 2, 2020, […]

The NLRB Just Made It Harder To Lasso Franchisors And Affiliated Businesses For The Alleged Sins Of Their Compatriots

In 2015, the NLRB adopted a more relaxed standard for determining when an entity could be considered a joint employer and thus liable for alleged workplace wrongs along with a direct employer. Of course the result of the loosening of the reins meant an increase in the number of defendants listed on complaints as potentially […]

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CJ

Criticizing the Employer’s Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Policies

Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (the Act) gives employees the right to engage in “concerted activities” for “mutual aid or protection.” In general, “concerted activities” are activities or conduct by employees with or on the authority of other employees. This includes activities or conduct by one employee designed to initiate or induce […]

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JM
Of Counsel

Winter 2020 Under Construction Newsletter – Out Now!

The winter edition of Snell & Wilmer’s Under Construction newsletter is out now! This issue addresses: Employees’ Use of Social Media to Complain About Working; Tips for Mediation of the Toughest Construction Disputes; Overview of the ConsensusDocs® 900 Public-Private Partnership (P3) Agreement and General Conditions; The Registrar of Contractors and the Residential Contractors’ Recovery Fund: […]

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Employers May Discontinue Checkoff of Union Dues at Expiration of Union Contract

In a December 16, 2019 decision, the National Labor Relations Board (Board) held that employers’ statutory obligation to checkoff union dues pursuant to their union contracts ends when said contracts expire. Overruling relatively recent precedent, the Board based its decision on the principle that there is no independent statutory obligation to check off and remit dues […]

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JM
Of Counsel