New York State Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act Cracks Down on a "Leech Industry"
The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: Chipotle and Sweetgreen Settle Food Fight Over CHIPOTLE Trademark
Shining a Light on Greek Cuisine with Chef Doug Psaltis
Podcast: The Briefing by the IP Law Blog - Cookie Co’s Motion to Dismiss Trademark Lawsuit by Restaurant Crumbles
The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: Cookie Co’s Motion to Dismiss Trademark Lawsuit by Restaurant Crumbles
FLSA and Wage and Hour Issues for Restaurants
Restaurant Rebound: How Employers Can Build and Keep Top-Notch Service Teams
Reporting Cash Tips to the IRS [More with McGlinchey, Ep. 24]
From More Delivery, Takeout and Outdoor Dining Options to Financial Relief – How Restaurants Have Managed Throughout the Pandemic
Strategies for Restaurant Owners to Survive in the New Normal
RCG Webinar | Where's the Beef?
II-30- Tackling 3 Big Wage and Hour Questions for Employers
Stealth Lawyer: Mark Russ Federman, Appetizing Shop Owner
Earlier this summer, the Washington, D.C. Council (“Council”) narrowly passed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget (the “Amendment”) partially repealing portions of Initiative 82 and restructuring how tipped workers’...more
On July 30, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill (Senate Bill 648) that authorizes the state’s labor commissioner to investigate tip theft and levy fines for violations. The new law is particularly...more
The Ninth Circuit’s decision in Harrington v. Cracker Barrel underscores the growing importance of personal jurisdiction in limiting the scope of FLSA collective actions. The court held that employees with no connection to...more
Running a restaurant in New York involves managing a fast-paced, labor-intensive business—and keeping up with employment laws can be overwhelming. One of the most common legal pitfalls restaurant owners face is overtime...more
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on June 3, 2025, signed House Bill (HB) 25-1208 into law in an effort to alleviate economic stress on the restaurant industry in Colorado by permitting localities to reduce the minimum wage for...more
In the hustle of running a restaurant, it’s easy for meal breaks to slip through the cracks. However, New York law has specific requirements for giving your employees time to eat and rest. Ensuring your staff takes legally...more
New York restaurant owners must navigate complex tip pooling and tip credit regulations to ensure compliance with federal and state labor laws. Failure to follow these rules can result in lawsuits, back wages, and penalties....more
As the New Jersey legislature considers eliminating the tip credit—a move that would require all restaurant workers to be paid the full minimum wage regardless of tips—the hospitality and business communities are pushing...more
In the spirit of the season, we are using our annual "12 Days of California Labor and Employment" blog series to address new California laws and their impact on employers. On the tenth day of the holidays, my labor and...more
In the recent Massachusetts state election, voters faced a pivotal decision on a ballot initiative aiming to eliminate the tip credit system. The proposal sought to require employers to pay tipped employees the full state...more
Employers with tipped employees are constantly trying to keep up with the ever-changing and evolving tip credit rules promulgated by the United States Department of Labor (DOL) — specifically, what is known as the 80/20 rule....more
Tips from Seyfarth is a blog series for employers, and their in-house lawyers and HR, payroll, and compensation professionals, in the food, beverage, and hospitality sector. We curate wage and hour compliance “tips” to keep...more
Recently, both major-party presidential candidates have come out in favor of a “no tax on tips” proposals, though neither candidate has indicated how to implement one. There have been proposals from other legislators, though...more
In a highly anticipated decision published on August 23, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit struck down the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Final Rule that limited the circumstances under which an...more
On September 18, 2024, at the request of the State of Michigan and its attorney general, the Michigan Supreme Court clarified issues relating to future minimum wage rates and minimum cash wage rates for tip-credit employees...more
In a long-awaited decision in Restaurant Law Center v. US Department of Labor, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated a US Department of Labor (DOL) regulation governing the way tipped employees are paid,...more
A trio of cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit have challenged the core of US Department of Labor rulemaking. With varying levels of success. Restaurant Law Center v. DOL pertains to the DOL’s...more
This Littler Lightbulb highlights some of the more significant employment law developments in federal courts of appeal in the last month. Fifth Circuit Vacates DOL Tip Credit Rule...more
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a ruling on August 23, 2024, vacating a 2021 Final Rule of the Department of Labor (DOL), which limited the circumstances under which employers can claim a "tip...more
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit recently determined that the Department of Labor (DOL) violated the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) in issuing its “Tip Credit” final regulations and vacated the final rule....more
There’s been a lot of buzz about tipped wages as Election Day approaches – and hospitality employers will want to track key proposals that may have a huge impact on pay practices. Former President Trump and Vice President...more
Hospitality employers take note – the Department of Labor’s (DOL) tip rule has been struck down. The tip credit is a provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) that allows employers to pay tipped employees a lower...more
In a highly anticipated opinion, on August 23, 2024, the Fifth Circuit in Restaurant Law Center v. U.S. Department of Labor (Case No. 23-50562) struck down a Final Rule promulgated by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that...more
On August 23, 2024, in Restaurant Law Center v. U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) December 2021 final rule that had set strict limits on...more
On August 23, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a final rule promulgated by the Department of Labor (“DOL”) restricting when employers could take a tip credit for tipped employees under the Fair Labor...more