BELLO / WELSH LLP NEWS & ALERTS

The information on this blog, and the materials published on this website generally, are provided by Bello Welsh for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as legal advice. This information is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship.  We strongly recommend that readers seek specific legal counsel before taking any actions that could have legal implications. 

Defend Trade Secrets Act Signed Into Law

President Obama signed the “Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016” into law on May 11th.  The Act amends the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 to provide a federal private right of action for trade secret misappropriation and theft.  Remedies include actual damages, injunctive relief, and exemplary damages and attorneys’ fees for willful and malicious misappropriation. […]

Update: Comment Period Extended for Proposed Rule for Federal Contractor Paid Sick Leave

By: Alexandra (Sasha) Thaler The Department of Labor has extended the public comment period on its Proposed Rule for Federal Contractor Paid Sick Leave, based on public comments received and the interest that has been expressed in this matter.  The comment period was due to close on March 28; comments may now be submitted through […]

Massachusetts: An Act to Establish Pay Equity

On January 28, the Massachusetts Senate passed S. 2119, titled “An Act to Establish Pay Equity” (the “Proposed Law”).   Touted by one of the Act’s co-sponsors as a way to “further close the wage gap between male and female workers in the Commonwealth,” the Proposed Law is claimed to ensure equal pay for comparable work […]

EEOC Proposes Changes to EEO-1 Reporting to Include Pay Data

By Martha J. Zackin Today, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a proposed revision to the Employer Information Report (EEO-1) to include the annual collection and reporting of pay data.  Currently, federal law requires federal contractors with 50 or more employees, and all other employers with 100 or more employees, to file an […]

Joint Employment: DOL Issues Adminstrator’s Interpretation

By Martha J. Zackin The legal concept of joint employment has been around for many years, first gaining national prominence in 1996, after a federal appeals court found Microsoft to be a co-employer of thousands of workers classified either as “contractors” or “temporary employees” retained through a staffing company.  The case, Vizcaino v. Microsoft,, 97 […]

Form I-9 Compliance: New Guidance Issued

By Martha J. Zackin The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) requires employers to verify the work authorization of employees using the Form I-9.   Some employers choose to conduct periodic internal audits of their Forms I-9, to ensure compliance.  Concerned that improperly conducted internal audits could “create barriers to employment for work-authorized individuals,” the Department of Homeland Security’s […]

Federal Contractors and Subcontractors Must Comply with New Pay Transparency Rules

By Martha J. Zackin As is often reported, there is a pay gap in many of today’s workplaces between men and women, and between wages earned amongst various racial groups.   Many commentators believe that employer policies forbidding employees from discussing pay with co-workers perpetuate these wage gaps, by preventing workers from finding out if they […]

Update on DOL changes to FLSA White Collar Exemptions

By Alexandra D. Thaler As we previously reported here, the Department of Labor will soon be revising the so-called “white collar exemptions” to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).  Recently, the DOL has indicated that it now plans to issue the Final Rule in July 2016. To recap, on June 30, 2015, the DOL issued […]

NLRB Declines to Assert Jurisdiction Over Religious School

By John F. Welsh Over the past few years the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) has been re-examining whether it can assert its jurisdiction over religious schools, universities and hospitals.  Recently, Bello Welsh LLP convinced the NLRB’s Division of Advice in Washington, D.C. that the NLRB lacked jurisdiction over our pro bono client, Nativity Preparatory […]

Massachusetts Appeals Court Protects Staffing Companies – and their Clients

By Martha J. Zackin In 2013, as reported here, a Massachusetts trial court upheld efforts by staffing companies and workers compensation insurers to close a loophole that allowed staffing-firm employees injured while providing services to a client company both to collect workers compensation benefits from their staffing company employer and to sue the client company.  […]

DOL Issues Misclassification Guidance Broadly Defining “Employee”

By Martha J. Zackin On July 15, 2015, the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor issued guidance aimed at clarifying the distinction between “employees” and “independent contractors.”   Published as an Administrator’s Interpretation, the DOL states that in its view, “most workers are employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act” (FLSA).  The Administrator’s […]

DOL Issues Proposed Updates to FLSA White Collar Exemptions

By Alexandra D. Thaler On June 30, 2015, the Department of Labor issued its anticipated update to the so-called “white collar exemptions” to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).   The proposed rule more than doubles the minimum weekly salary threshold for the application of the Executive, Administrative, Professional, and Computer Employee overtime exemptions, and ties […]