Wage and Hour

Equal Pay, FLSA, and a $3.27M Verdict: Jury Sides with Fired Chief People Officer in Her Retaliation Case Against A Law Firm

May 13, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

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You’d expect a company to listen when its Chief People Officer—especially one with nearly three decades of labor and employment law experience—raises concerns about compliance. Instead, this employer—a law firm—reassigned her shortly thereafter and fired her within the week of returning from bereavement leave. A jury just awarded her $3.27 million for retaliation.

🎤 “Star Treatment, Solid Contracts” – Happening Today at Noon!

May 9, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

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Whether you’re drafting agreements for a C-suite hire, a high-profile consultant, or a VIP client, there are legal landmines everywhere—from misclassification to IP disputes. Today, we’re tackling them all.

TL;DR: Join me and attorney Merlyne Jean-Louis for a free Zoom session at 12 PM ET today—Friday, May 9, 2025—as we break down the legal and strategic considerations that go into working with VIPs, whether they’re public figures, top executives, or behind-the-scenes power players.
🔗 Register here

New DOL Guidance Hits Pause and Rewind on Independent Contractor Crackdown

May 2, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

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The Department of Labor just blinked. Again. In its latest move, the agency announced that it’s stepping back from its own 2024 independent contractor rule and reverting to older, more flexible standards. That’s not just a procedural shift—it’s a clear signal that the DOL may be moving away from stricter employee classification altogether. Continue reading

🎤 Upcoming Event: Star Treatment, Solid Contracts: Navigating the VIP Employment Landscape

April 28, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

Working with VIPs can feel like walking a legal tightrope. From influencers to high-profile executives, businesses often face big questions: Are they independent contractors or employees? What must go into their agreements? And how do you protect your intellectual property—and avoid legal headaches?

On May 9 at 12 PM ET, I’ll be teaming up with my colleague, Merlyne Jean-Louis, for a free Zoom session you won’t want to miss: Continue reading

Trump Rescinds Biden’s Labor Orders: What It Means for Federal Contractors

March 18, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

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On March 14, 2025, President Trump revoked two significant Biden-era executive orders, bringing major changes to federal contracting policies: Continue reading

Are You Paying Employees Correctly? The Travel Time Rule You Can’t Ignore!

February 19, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

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The Fair Labor Standards Act has been known to trip up HR professionals and employer lawyers, too. Payment for travel time, for example, can have several variables, such as when, where, why, and how. However, a recent Third Circuit decision clarified when, if ever, an employee’s travel time between client sites is compensable.

I’ll spare you the court’s FLSA minutiae and reduce it to a 60-second plain English read for you and your colleagues.

Splish Splash, That’s Not Your Cash! New DOL Guidance Keeps Managers out of the Tip Pool.

January 21, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

Navigating the maze of wage laws can sometimes feel like playing a high-stakes game of “gotcha,” especially for restaurant operators. A recent opinion letter from the Department of Labor (DOL) clarifies when managers and supervisors can participate in tip pools if they perform the same duties and responsibilities as other typically tipped employees.

TLDR: never.

Understanding the Basics

FLSA Exemptions For Employers: Now 40% Less Daunting, 100% Still Your Problem

January 20, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

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Last week, the Supreme Court clarified employers can show how certain employees don’t need to be paid overtime or minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

Spoiler alert: it’s not as tough as some courts thought. Continue reading

Must companies pay employees for time they spend lollygagging on the job?

January 2, 2025 | by Eric B. Meyer

In a recent precedential decision, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals addressed a critical issue for employers: whether they must compensate employees for the actual time spent on work-related activities, even if they are lollygagging. Or can an employer comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by paying employees a reasonable amount instead? Continue reading

Join me and my friends on Wednesday, December 11 for HR Festivus. (And it’s free)

December 6, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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At Noon ET, Amy Epstein Gluck, Michael Elkins, and I will present “What the Legal Landscape Looks Like for 2025.” Come hang with us for an hour while we cover key legal updates for 2025. Our friends at HR Learns, who are hosting this event, have pre-approved our sesh for HRCI/SHRM credit, although one of you will have to supply the Festivus Pole.

Did I mention it’s free? The other HR Festivus sessions, which kick off at 11:30 a.m., are also free. You can read the full agenda here. Although I’m not holding out for Jake Paul/Mike Tyson money, watching me compete in the feats of strength will cost you. Ah, who am I kidding? HR would spit out their coffee, and Amy would beat me like Paul did Tyson.

You can register here if you’d like to attend any or all of HR Festivus, the HR holiday you didn’t know you needed.