Jill Chasson Examines Arizona Federal Court Ruling on Commission Forfeiture in HR Laws

Commission agreements often require workers to be actively employed on their payout date to receive commissions, putting earned pay at risk if an employee departs before then. In the April issue of HR Laws, Partner Jill Chasson explored a new Arizona federal court decision that casts doubt on whether those provisions are sustainable long term for local employers. In her article, Jill analyzed a case involving a mortgage loan originator who resigned before certain commissions were paid, even though the loans had already closed. The court determined the employee could not recover the payment under Arizona’s wage statute, yet still found the forfeiture provision unconscionable under Arizona contract law. This decision confirmed that employers cannot withhold commissions once the work to earn them is complete and...

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Jill Chasson Unpacks Ninth Circuit’s Latest NLRA Ruling on Employee Wage Discussions in HR Laws

Jill Chasson Unpacks Ninth Circuit’s Latest NLRA Ruling on Employee Wage Discussions in HR Laws

A new opinion from the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reinforced a longstanding, and often misunderstood, truth about workplace rights: Employees can talk with each other about pay. In a recent article for HR Laws, Partner Jill Chasson broke down what the decision means for employers navigating discipline, communication policy, and National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) compliance. In the article, Jill examined a recent wrongful-termination dispute in Phoenix that prompted the court to directly affirm that pay-related conversations qualify as protected concerted activity, for both union and non-union workers, under Section 7 of the NLRA. She highlighted how the ruling strengthens the existing wage transparency position and clarified the risks employers face when disciplinary decisions overlap with discussions about compensation or working conditions. Additionally, Jill offered...

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