The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday, June 15, 2020, that the ban on sex discrimination in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects homosexual and transgender workers. In a 6 to 3 decision with Justice Neil M. Gorsuch writing for the majority, the Court interpreted the Civil Rights Act of 1964’s prohibition

North Carolina District Court Permits Plan’s Lawsuit Against Third Party Administrator to Continue

A federal district court in North Carolina has ruled that a plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) had standing to assert breach-of-fiduciary duty claims under ERISA against a third party health insurance administrator for the plan.

U.S. Supreme Court Interprets “Actual Knowledge” Test for Suits Against ERISA Fiduciaries

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, has ruled that a plaintiff in a lawsuit alleging a fiduciary breach under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) did not have “actual knowledge” of the information contained in disclosures that the

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has updated its guidance on workplace laws during the COVID-19 outbreak. The guidance, updated on April 17, 2020, assists employers with navigating pandemic-related issues. In a question-and-answer format, the EEOC clarifies topics such as the confidentiality of medical information, inquiries about employee symptoms and providing reasonable accommodations.

The

The New York State Court of Appeals recently issued an important opinion on a question that often arises in legal malpractice cases: What consequences befall attorneys who encourage their client to bring a case that they know is meritless? In Bill Birds, Inc. et al. v. Stein Law Firm, P.C., 2020 N.Y. Slip Op. 02125

Update:

On April 8, 2020, Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks issued Administrative Order AO/85/20 to promulgate the procedures and protocols in non-essential matters, which take effect on April 13, 2020. Although the order extends virtual operations to non-essential matters, no new non-essential matters may be filed until further notice. Nor may additional papers be filed

Second Circuit Affirms Decision Rejecting ERISA Claims for Retiree Health Benefits

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has affirmed a district court’s decision dismissing claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) seeking retiree health benefits.

The Case

The plaintiffs were officers at EmblemHealth, Inc., who retired between 2008

COVID-19 has sent litigation into a tailspin, with court closings and moratoriums on filings leaving attorneys scrambling to figure out how to balance their obligations to their clients to keep cases moving with the obstacles now in place. Many attorneys are not practicing out of their offices, do not have access to key files, and

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) will take effect on April 1, 2020, and will require all private employers with 499 or fewer employees to provide paid sick leave and emergency family leave to qualified employees. The FFCRA will apply to a broader set of individuals than New York’s paid sick leave law passed

As we have previously reported, on March 18, 2020 President Donald J. Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The FFCRA provides for two leave requirements arising in different portions of the Act:

1. The right to Public Health Emergency Leave, which amends the existing statutory text of the Family and Medical Leave