The Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed an appellate court decision that extended the state's two year statute of limitations for certain whistleblowing claims to six years.
On December 4, 2015, three federal agencies published final rules implementing the Executive Order establishing a minimum wage for contractors, and finalizing a statutory pilot program to enhance whistleblower protections for contractor employees.
On November 17, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held an employer’s rejection of an employee’s rescission of resignation can “sometimes constitute an adverse employment action” and may be considered retaliation under Title VII.
The SEC’s whistleblower program is steadily growing in scope and impact, and the agency is taking more aggressive positions to obtain information from whistleblowers and protect informants from retaliation.
Recent class actions have claimed that companies have violated California consumer fraud and unfair competition laws resulting from alleged forced labor in their global supply chains.
On October 6, 2015, California's Governor signed into law Senate Bill 358, legislation intended to increase wage transparency and which will make it more difficult for an employer to defend against an equal pay claim.
Non-Canadian workers are increasingly suing their employers in Canadian courts for human rights violations allegedly committed outside Canada by the companies themselves or by other entities in their supply chains.
The Second Circuit created a federal appellate split when it revived a Dodd-Frank Act retaliation claim by an ex-employee who only reported his claims of accounting fraud internally before he was terminated.
The United Nations' adoption in 2011 of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights signified a growing consensus that corporate entities have a responsibility to account for their operations' impact on human rights.
New SEC guidance says whistleblowers are entitled to Dodd-Frank anti-retaliation protections after making an internal complaint about possible securities law violations, even if they do not report directly to the SEC.
