In an article published in the Nashville Business Journal, Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Tim Garrett discussed latest developments in employment law through the first months of the Trump presidency. The article covers the following developments:
- Overtime Rule: The overtime salary increase brought under the Obama administration was halted nationwide in federal court, and it appears it will remain on hold indefinitely.
- Independent Contractor/Joint Employment: Companies using independent contractors have more leeway under the new administration with the recent withdrawal of the Obama-era joint employer interpretation, which held that “most workers are employees” and was seen as an attack on employers using the independent contractor model.
- Paid Leave: The Trump administration’s proposed budget includes paid parental leave that would be distributed through the unemployment system if passed.
- State and Local Initiatives: While the federal government has set the tone for more relaxed regulations, many state and local governments are taking regulation into their own hands with issues including commitment to the Paris Accord, paid sick leave, minimum wage laws, employer consideration of candidate’s criminal backgrounds and restrictions on asking about candidate’s salary history.
The full article, “Roundup: Recent Regulatory Developments in Employment Law,” was published in the July 6, 2017, issue of the Nashville Business Journal and is available online.