Insights Archive - Ogletree Deakins

Sixth Circuit Adopts New Certification Process in FLSA Collective Actions

On May 19, 2023, in Clark v. A&L Home Care and Training Center, LLC., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected the familiar two-step certification procedure in collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), instead requiring lead plaintiffs to demonstrate a “strong likelihood” that other employees they seek to represent are “similarly situated” to the original plaintiffs. In so ruling, the Sixth Circuit became just the second circuit court to expressly reject the familiar two-step certification procedure in FLSA collective actions.

Chris R. Pace Kansas City Author

Margaret Santen Charlotte
Atlanta Author

Monica L. Lacks Cleveland Author

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Federal District Court in Virginia Rejects Familiar Two-Step FLSA Collective Certification Approach

On April 14, 2023, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (Ellis, J.) declined to conditionally certify a collective of USA Today sports website editors, ruling that the familiar two-step Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective certification process would lead to irrelevant parties learning of and potentially joining the lawsuit. The decision in Mathews represents a growing trend against the familiar two-step approach to certification of collective actions under the FLSA.

Monica L. Lacks Cleveland Author

Jimmy F. Robinson, Jr. Richmond Author

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Supreme Court Declines to Resolve Circuit Split on Exercise of Personal Jurisdiction in FLSA Collective Actions

On June 6, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States declined to hear petitions seeking review of whether federal courts may exercise personal jurisdiction over claims of nonresident plaintiffs who join Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective actions when their claims are not connected to the defendant’s activities in the forum state.

Margaret Santen Charlotte
Atlanta Author

Monica L. Lacks Cleveland Author

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Sixth Circuit Limits Exercise of Personal Jurisdiction in FLSA Collective Actions

On August 17, 2021, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals became the first federal appellate court to expressly rule on the application of the Supreme Court of the United States’ decision in Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. v. Superior Court of California to Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) collective actions.

Monica L. Lacks Cleveland Author

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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DOL Proposes New Rule to Establish Minimum Wage Standards for Federal Contractors

On July 22, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a notice of proposed rulemaking to outline the standards and procedures that it will use to administer President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14026, which he signed on April 27, 2021. Executive Order 14026 proposed an increase to the minimum wage for workers performing work on federal contracts to $15 per hour beginning January 30, 2022. The proposed rule applies only to federal contractors. It builds upon Executive Order 13658 signed by then-president Barack Obama that established a minimum wage of $10.10 for federal contractors with annual increases for inflation. The current rate is $10.95 per hour; the minimum wage for tipped federal contract workers is $7.65 per hour. Below is a brief summary of the scope of the DOL’s proposed rule and changes, if finalized.

Justin P. Grose Oklahoma City Author

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Sixth Circuit Backs Termination of Public Employee for Racially Derogatory Social Media Post on 2016 Presidential Election

On October 6, 2020, in Bennett v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville, No. 19-5818, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed a district court’s decision in favor of a public employee who claimed that the city had terminated her employment in retaliation for exercising her rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Rebecca J. Bennett Cleveland Author

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Sixth Circuit Considers Public Employee’s Off-the-Clock Social Media Post in First Amendment Case

On August 19, 2020, in Marquardt v. Carlton, et al., No. 19-4223, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed summary judgment for the City of Cleveland on a former employee’s claim that the city had terminated his employment in retaliation for his exercising his rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

Rebecca J. Bennett Cleveland Author

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NLRB Strips Employer of Dancers’ Independent Contractor Status

In a decision that may be useful to employers deciding whether workers should be classified as independent contractors or employees, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) found that an exotic dancer at the Centerfold Club in Columbus, Ohio, was an employee rather than an independent contractor.

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

Wade M. Fricke Cleveland Author

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Beltway Buzz, June 5, 2020

The Beltway Buzz is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C. could impact your business.

James J. Plunkett Washington D.C. Author

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U.S. District Court Vacates Parts of New NLRB Election Rules and Remands Non-Vacated Parts for Reconsideration

In an abbreviated order issued on May 30, 2020, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) improperly implemented portions of the final rules on representation elections initially scheduled to take effect on April 16, 2020. The NLRB delayed implementation to May 31, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Harry J. Secaras Chicago Author

Wade M. Fricke Cleveland Author

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Cell Phone Use on Hold in Manufacturing Plants After Recent NLRB Decision

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a supplemental decision on May 20, 2020, finding lawful a policy prohibiting employees from possessing or using their cell phones on the manufacturing floor or at their workstations.

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

Wade M. Fricke Cleveland Author

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EEOC Greenlights Employer Requests of Information from Job Candidates for Federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit

On April 29, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued an opinion letter reiterating its position that proper use of Internal Revenue Service Form 8850 for the Federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) does not violate federal equal employment opportunity laws.

Michael K. Mahoney Morristown
New York Author

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Copier Victor Victorious: Sixth Circuit Clarifies Plaintiffs’ Evidentiary Burden in FLSA Cases

In Viet v. Copier Victor, Inc., No. 18-6191 (March 10, 2020), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for Copier Victor and its founder, Victor Le, on an employee’s overtime claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), finding the employee’s testimony regarding the number of hours he worked on a weekly basis too vague and conclusory to withstand summary judgment.

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

Monica L. Lacks Cleveland Author

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Ohio Appellate Court Finds Overly Broad Arbitration Agreement Unenforceable

In Thomas v. Hyundai of Bedford, No. 108212 (January 23, 2020), the Eighth District Ohio Court of Appeals held that an arbitration clause in an employment contract was substantively and procedurally unconscionable because it sought to include as arbitrable all conceivable claims between the parties, even those outside the employment relationship. The Eighth District’s decision serves as a reminder of the benefits of well-tailored arbitration agreements.

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Sixth Circuit Considers Whether Comparator Info Is Discoverable in a Failure to Promote Case

In Jones v. Johnson, No. 18-2252 (January 9, 2020), the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals considered the discoverability of comparator information in a case involving an allegation that an employer failed to promote an employee. The court reversed a district court’s decision in favor of an employer on the grounds that it had improperly limited the scope of discovery.

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Showing Up to Work: Sixth Circuit Clarifies When Regular, In-Person Attendance Is Required Under the ADA

In Popeck v. Rawlings Company, LLC, No. 19-5092 (October 16, 2019), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit affirmed summary judgment for the Rawlings Company on Popeck’s claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), finding that regular, in-person attendance was an essential function of Popeck’s job as a claims auditor.

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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FMLA Retaliation Case Illustrates the Practical Significance of Effective HR Documentation

In Simpson v. Temple University, et al., the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania granted summary judgment to the defendants on the plaintiff’s claims of interference and retaliation under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The decision illustrates the practical significance of documenting performance issues and termination decisions as soon as possible.

Samuel H. Ottinger Cleveland Author

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Ohio Supreme Court Restricts Wrongful-Discharge Claims by Probationary Public Employees

The Supreme Court of Ohio recently confirmed that public employees in their probationary periods are not entitled to the same protections with regard to employment termination that tenured civil servants enjoy.

Ellen Toth Cleveland Author

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