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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Attorney Jill Chasson

Jill Chasson Explains That Piece-rate Workers Are Eligible for Overtime Pay

Piece-rate pay compensates workers a fixed amount for each item of work completed per day or week. Although there are advantages to piece-rate compensation, such as incentivizing workers to be more efficient and productive, employers that use this method must still comply with the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In her most recent HR Laws article, Jill Chasson recommends keeping an accurate record of daily and weekly hours worked so piece-rate pay can be supplemented if a worker exceeds 40 hours of work in a week. Jill highlighted an example of how costly failure to pay overtime can be. An Arizona construction company that did not pay overtime to its piece-rate workers or keep accurate time records was investigated...

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