While the FLSA’s coverage is broad, it does not extend to all employment scenarios. In a new decision addressing the common employment scenario where a building owner employs a single worker to serve as a janitor and handle miscellaneous tasks, Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes of the Eastern District of New York ruled that such
new york labor law
More and More Interns Seeking Allegedly Unpaid Wages
Presumably buoyed by the district court ruling in Glatt v. Fox Searchlight Pictures Inc., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 82079 (S.D.N.Y. June 11, 2013), a number of copy-cat lawsuits have been filed by former entertainment industry interns in recent weeks in the Southern District of New York’s Manhattan courthouse seeking unpaid wages. Salaam, et al. …
Second Circuit Finds Gristede’s Owner to Be Individually Liable “Employer” Under FLSA
Reviewing a district court decision issued two years ago, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has affirmed a ruling finding John Catsimatidis, the CEO and owner of New York-area grocery chain Gristede’s (and a New York Mayoral Candidate), individually liable for wages under the FLSA based on the “economic realities&rdquo…
New York Appeals Court Affirms That Policy Language Governs Whether Vacation Must Be Paid Out
While some areas of wage-and-hour law are regulated extensively under the New York Labor Law and the relevant Wage Orders, in the area of vacation pay (and similar paid time off benefits) New York employers can define the terms of the benefit based on the seminal court decision addressing these issues, Glenville Gage Co. v. …
Text of NY Minimum Wage Bill Finalized
The text of the New York legislature’s proposed minimum wage increase confirms increases as previously reported:
· $8.00 on and after December 31, 2013
· $8.75 on and after December 31, 2014
· $9.00 on and after December, 2015.
Per the language of the amendment, the minimum wage requirements for food service…
Progress Towards NY Minimum Wage Hike
Reports indicate that the New York State legislature and Governor Cuomo have tentatively reached agreement regarding the terms of the anticipated proposed increase in the state’s minimum wage. As portrayed in news coverage, the latest proposal would increase the minimum wage to $8/hour in 2014, $8.75/hour in 2015 and $9/hour by 2016, but not tie further…
SDNY: 13 Months Between “Protected Activity” and Termination Does Not Support Retaliation Claim
Employers often are frustrated by an employee’s characterization in litigation of prior workplace complaints – many times dating back months or even years – as “protected activity” within the meaning of one or more employment statutes. Distinguishing true “protected activity” from the a mere employee complaint can be a difficult task. At the initial stage…
New York State Court Issues Injunction Preventing Eviction of Tenant-Employee With Pending Asserted Wage and Hour Claims
Injunctive relief is infrequently sought in wage-and-hour litigation, which typically focuses on whether an employer properly paid wages for time periods which already transpired, as well as for any period after the filing of an action where the challenged practice means unchanged. However, injunctive relief can be available in FLSA cases. In a prime example…
New York Judge: Deduction of Full “Seamless Web” Fees from Gratuities Potentially Violates FLSA, New York Law
In a decision sure to attract attention within the New York hospitality industry, Judge Alison J. Nathan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled in a case of first impression that deducting the full amount of service fees charged by internet food delivery sites (including popular web…
New York Judge Rejects Interns’ Novel Argument That Paying School Tuition Is An Indirect Wage Deduction
In the latest chapter in the ongoing intern battles currently being waged in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Harold Baer rejected plaintiffs’ novel assertion of unlawful wage deductions. Wang v. Hearst Corp., 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3768 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 9, 2013). The Wang litigation concerns the applicability…