The Chartwell Chronicles: Employment Law
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President Trump is appealing a federal judge’s decision that blocked him from firing Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board. ...more
Chief Justice John Roberts has issued a temporary stay allowing President Trump to fire recently reinstated FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, even though she was fired without cause....more
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, applying Florida law, has held that letters from an insured company explaining the basis for termination of its CEO and President and requesting that he preserve...more
The reinstatement of two Democratic NCUA board members has been put on hold by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia....more
A Federal Judge has ruled that two NCUA board members were illegally fired by President Trump and has restored their positions on the board. ...more
The Puerto Rico Supreme Court recently issued a decision reaffirming the importance of just cause for employment terminations in Puerto Rico. Méndez Ruiz v. Techno Plastics Industries, Inc., No. 2025 TSPR 68 (June 26, 2025)....more
On June 26, 2025, the Puerto Rico Supreme Court (PRSC) issued an opinion in Méndez Ruiz v. Techno Plastics Industries, Inc., 216 D.P.R. ____, 2025 TSPR 68 (2025), determining whether the defendant had “just cause” under...more
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (covering Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, and Rhode Island) recently awarded a victory to employers litigating claims “related to” certain employer-sponsored...more
The California Court of Appeal issued an important decision clarifying that an employee cannot recover damages for a defamation claim that is derivative of a wrongful termination claim. Defamation causes of action are often...more
A California appeals court has upheld a $5 million award in favor of Whiting-Turner Contracting Company and against the owner of a 12-story, Virgin-brand hotel in San Francisco. Whiting-Turner agreed to construct the hotel...more
The Government Accountability Office has agreed to investigate recent CFPB moves to fire more than 1,400 employees and the impact it and other agency actions have had on the bureau’s ability to operate....more
The Ontario Court of Appeal’s recent decision in De Castro v Arista Homes Limited, 2025 ONCA 260 (De Castro) provides Ontario employers with yet another reminder about the importance of clear and concise drafting in...more
Employees who sue their former employer for wrongful termination following a workplace investigation may feel compelled to bring a claim for defamation, based on their belief that the allegations and/or investigation findings...more
On December 27, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (“the Third Circuit” or “the court”) vacated a portion of an NLRB (“the Board”) order requiring Starbucks to compensate two allegedly wrongfully...more
The Family and Medical Leave Act provides unpaid job-protected leave for a qualified employee to care for a spouse, parent, or child with a serious health condition. This means that FMLA protections do not extend to employee...more
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently issued a significant decision regarding the interpretation of the mysterious “in loco parentis” relationships under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Chapman v. Brentlinger...more
The Court of Appeal's recent judgment in Topalsson v Rolls-Royce looks at how the set-off of counterclaims should be addressed as well as interest when it comes to liability caps....more
In Rodriguez v. Lawrence Equipment, Inc., Case No. B325261 (Nov. 8, 2024), the California Court of Appeal held that an employee who loses their Labor Code claims in an individual arbitration no longer has standing to pursue a...more
Employers wanting to create a more equitable and legally compliant workplace while also reducing their risk of litigation may want to pay particular attention to the California Court of Appeal’s recent decision in Wawrzenski....more
On June 13, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a blow to the National Labor Relations Board’s (“NLRB” or the “Board”) ability to seek injunctive relief during the pendency of an unfair labor practice proceeding. In a near...more
In Shalagin v. Mercer Celgar Limited Partnership, 2023 BCCA 373, the British Columbia Court of Appeal (BCCA) upheld the lower court’s dismissal of an employee’s wrongful dismissal claim and its finding that his surreptitious...more
In a recent decision, the New Jersey Appellate Division provided new guidance on whether private social media posts, profiles, and comments may be compelled in litigation. In Davis v. Disability Rights New Jersey, Norma Davis...more
The Court of Appeal for Ontario recently released a decision that affirmed the key legal principles and considerations courts will rely on when determining the enforceability of a historically written contract that no longer...more
Age/National Origin Case Was Properly Dismissed Despite “Direct Evidence” Of Discriminatory Animus - Opara v. Yellin, 57 F.4th 709 (9th Cir. 2023) - Joan Opara was terminated from her employment as an IRS revenue...more
On August 15, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held in Roberts v. Gestamp West Virginia, LLC, that an employer’s “usual and customary” notice procedures relating to absences extended beyond the company’s...more