Employers May Be Liable for Coworker Social Media Harassment Outside Workplace
A recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected the notion that only conduct occurring inside the physical workplace can be actionable with respect to an employee’s unlawful harassment claims. In Okonowsky v. Garland, the Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded a district court decision granting summary judgment in favor of the […]
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HCRC Proposes Amendments
HCRC Proposed Amendments On July 17, 2024, the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission released proposed amendments to its current rules (Hawaii Administrative Rules Title 12, Chapter 46), based on public comments. The public hearing date has not yet been set. The amendments (underscored in the draft), which will be the subject of a future Webinar Wednesday, have been made […]
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Supreme Court Rules That Involuntary Transfers Can Violate Title VII
Earlier this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that involuntary job transfers that result in “some harm” to the employee can violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, even if there is no “significant” injury (for example, with respect to title, salary or benefits). See Muldrow v. St. Louis (April 16, 2024). The court […]
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Sam Sneed and Jessica Sneed-Wong to Speak on “Common Issues in Employment & Labor Law” for CAI Hawaii, Sept. 26
CAI Hawaii, the local chapter of Community Associations Institute, will present a webinar on “Common Issues in Employment & Labor Law: Hiring, Supervising & Termination,” Sept. 26, 2024, 12noon-1:30pm. Speakers, including ES&A Director Sam Sneed and ES&A attorney Jessica Sneed-Wong, will discuss the formation and legal aspects of the employer-employee relationship, best practices for hiring, […]
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CyberHawaii Webinar on “Mobile Device & Remote Access Management,” Sept. 17
Smart phones and tablets are central to the personal and professional lives of most people on the planet, and as a result, mobile device security is a critical issue. CyberHawaii’s free webinar on “Mobile Device & Remote Access Management,” September 17, 2024, 2-3pm, will offer actionable strategies to protect sensitive data against growing security threats, […]
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ELA Podcast: “The Interplay of AI and Intellectual Property: Considerations in Creating, Use and Enforcing IP Rights for Employers and Beyond”
Generative AI has supercharged our ability to create and use information and art, testing the limits of our intellectual property legal system. In this episode of the ELA Employment Matters podcast, ES&A Director Sam Sneed is among the speakers discussing how businesses, creators, and regulators are adapting – and still defining – the rules of creating, […]
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Federal Judge Strikes Down FTC’s Non-Compete Ban
On August 20, 2024, a federal judge in Texas struck down the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ban on non-compete agreements, ruling that it exceeded the agency’s authority. The ruling made the judge’s July 3 injunction, which temporarily blocked the ban from being enforced, permanent and nationwide. The ban, which would have taken effect Sept. 4, […]
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ES&A Lawyers Named to Best Lawyers 2025
ES&A President Anna Elento-Sneed, recognized by Best Lawyers since 2006, has once again been named to the 2025 list in the following areas in Hawaii: ES&A Director Bryan Andaya joins the Best Lawyers list in the following area for Hawaii: ES&A Director Sam Sneed has been named to the Ones to Watch list since 2022 […]
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Form I-9 Expiration Date Extended to 5/31/2027
The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) to extend the expiration date to 5/31/2027. Employers should use the Form I-9 with edition date of 8/1/2023, which may have an expiration date of either 7/31/2026 or 5/31/2027. Forms downloaded from the Form I-9 download page will only include the 5/31/2027 date. […]
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Proposed Interpretive Rule on Paycheck Advances Published by CFPB
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has published a proposed rule that would define many paycheck advance products, whether provided through employer partnerships or marketed directly to borrowers, as consumer loans subject to the Truth in Lending Act and related disclosure requirements regarding costs and fees. For more information, see the CPFB press release or the proposed rule in the Federal […]
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