Mid-Year Employment & Immigration Law Update (6-25-14 Webinar Recording)

View this complimentary webinar for a general roundup of important employment and immigration law developments during the first half of 2014.  Hixson Nagatani LLP attorneys Ray Hixson and Mary Wang will discuss hot new employment law developments including:

• Leaves of Absence:  Federal court ruling that FMLA protected an employee’s vacation with her ill mother in Las Vegas; federal court ruling in favor of an employer that terminated an employee who affirmatively declined to use FMLA time for absence; federal court ruling that employer was not required to grant second 6-month medical leave for cancer treatment; California court ruling that an employer could place an employee on paid administrative leave upon return from FMLA leave and seek its own fitness for duty evaluation; proposed changes to the California Family Rights Act (California’s version of FMLA); expansion of California Paid Family Leave effective July 1, 2014.

• Age Discrimination:  Federal court ruling against an Internet startup on age discrimination claim by 43-year old employee who was replaced by a 37-year old; $26 million jury verdict in favor of older employee who refused his manager’s prompting to resign and was allegedly terminated as part of plan to reduce the number of higher paid/older workers; court ruling in favor of terminated 61-year-old employee who exhibited no significant performance problems under her new supervisor.

• Investigations:  California court ruling that shortcomings in an employer’s internal investigation supported employee’s claim for wrongful termination.

• Disability Accommodation:  Federal court ruling in favor of a disabled employee who was denied opportunity to telecommute; federal court ruling that a leg injury that temporarily affected walking for seven months was a “disability” under the expanded definition adopted by the ADA Amendments Act.

• Commuter & Severance Benefits:  New requirement for San Francisco Bay Area employers with 50 or more employees to provide commuter benefits to covered employees by September 30, 2014; U.S. Supreme Court ruling that severance pay is subject to FICA and other wage withholding/deduction requirements.

SW Law Group, P.C. attorney Barbara Wong will discuss hot new immigration law developments, including:

• Hiring foreign nationals – what options do you have?:  The H-1B cap was reached and now employers are left to consider alternate options to keep their foreign worker employed.  What are the possible options, if any?

• Immigration new proposal for employment options:  Proposed rule to grant work authorization to spouses of H-1B workers who are in their sixth year or beyond of stay in the U.S., and whose H-1B spouse has been sponsored for permanent residence.

This is a program that was originally presented on June 25, 2014.  Please also note that the webinar provides only general information about the law, and does not constitute legal advice. Companies or individuals seeking legal advice should retain counsel.

Please note that HR and attorney continuing education credits are not available for watching this recorded program.

You may request an e-mail with links to the program materials and website where you may watch the program here:  Access Request Form.