In this episode of the Hiring to Firing Podcast, Partners Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs, along with Dan Sieck, a partner in the firm’s Corporate practice group, discuss the hit TV show Silicon Valley and the concept of garden leave. What are the pros and cons of having employees sit on the bench? What is the difference between garden leave and noncompete agreements? Tune in for an engaging dialogue on this unique aspect of employment transition. Transcript: Unraveling the Concept of Garden Leave: Insights From Silicon Valley (PDF ..read more

Speaking at the Global Competition Review: Law Leaders Global Summit last month, Commissioner Alvaro M. Bedoya of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) argued that the FTC could — and should — combat worker misclassification under Section 5 of the FTC Act, as an unfair method of competition. Commissioner Bedoya advocated that worker misclassification — when an employer classifies a worker, who should be an employee, as an independent contractor — satisfies the criteria established by the FTC in its November 2022 policy statement, for when conduct constitutes an unfair method of competition. Speci ..read more

In this episode of the Hiring to Firing Podcast, Partners Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs navigate the evolving landscape of employee sick days in a post-COVID-19 workplace. Special guest Lisa Whittaker, director and managing counsel, employment and labor law at The J.M. Smucker Co., joins them for a humorous discussion of the use and abuse of employee sick days, using clips from the popular TV show, Parks and Recreation. Tune in for an insightful discussion! Transcript: The Evolution of Employee Sick Days in a Post-COVID-19 Workplace With Parks and Rec (PDF) The Troutman Pepper Labor + Employm ..read more

In the companion podcast to our recently published client advisory, Troutman Pepper Partners Emily Zimmer and Constance Brewster delve into the intricacies of the SECURE Act, also known as SECURE 1.0, and its successor, SECURE 2.0. They discuss the significant changes brought by these rules, the proposed regulations issued to clarify how these rules are applied, and the steps company-sponsored plans should be taking now. Transcript: Long-Term Part-Time Employee Eligibility Rules Now in Effect (PDF) We are excited to announce that we will be hosting our annual webinar in September, which will ..read more

Q: Is New York City considering a total ban on noncompete agreements? A: Yes — a total ban on noncompete agreements would be the result of one of the three noncompete bills currently pending in the New York City Council, Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection. You might remember that a similar bill was passed by the New York State legislature and vetoed by Governor Hochul late last year. Now, the New York City Council has taken matters into its own hands with a series of three noncompete bills. If enacted, these bills would have various effects on New York City employers’ ability to enter ..read more

In this episode of the Hiring to Firing Podcast, Partners Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs draw insights from the TV series NCIS to discuss effective workplace harassment training. Our hosts are joined by Victoria Pasquale, chief human resources officer at Pritchard Industries, who shares her expertise on structuring effective trainings for her employees. Listen as the group explores how to capture their audience’s attention and drive home important messages in an engaging way. Transcript: Effective Harassment Trainings: Best Approaches With Insights from NCIS (PDF ..read more

Published in Law360 on February 26, 2024. © Copyright 2024, Portfolio Media, Inc., publisher of Law360. Reprinted here with permission. “Minority Report,” a cinematic masterpiece that debuted over 20 years ago, continues to resonate with audiences today. Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise, the movie takes place in the year 2054 where a special police department, called Precrime, apprehends criminals before they commit a crime based on information obtained from three psychics, called Precogs. This futuristic concept might seem far-fetched, but it provides a unique lens through ..read more

In this episode of the Hiring to Firing Podcast, Partners Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs, along with fellow Partners Sheri Adler and Mary Weeks, chat about the ultimate whistleblower — police officer Frank Serpico — and the SEC’s recent crackdown on whistleblower provisions in employment and separation agreements. Listen in as the group shares a top 10 list of drafting tips to ensure compliance. Transcript: Navigating Employment and Separation Agreements: Lessons From Al Pacino’s Serpico (PDF) The Troutman Pepper Labor + Employment Practice Group regularly issues advisories, offering timely in ..read more

On February 5, the regional director for Region 1 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) ruled that the student-athletes on Dartmouth College’s men’s basketball team are “employees” under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and, therefore, are eligible to vote on whether to unionize. Applying the Board’s common law test, the regional director reasoned that the basketball players are employees “because Dartmouth has the right to control the work performed by the men’s varsity basketball team, and because the players perform that work in exchange for compensation.” Although th ..read more

In this episode of the Hiring to Firing Podcast, Partners Tracey Diamond and Evan Gibbs welcome Katie Stark, senior director, commercial counsel for Collegium Pharmaceutical. The team delves into the topic of dress codes, drawing inspiration from the movie Erin Brockovich, and explores the intersection of personal style and professional expectations. As a bonus, the trio also share their most embarrassing fashion faux pas! Tune in for a lively and enlightening conversation about navigating the world of workplace fashion. Transcript: Dressing for Success: Workplace Fashion Inspired by Julia Ro ..read more