Non-compete agreements can feel like handcuffs. Especially in competitive fields like finance, tech, or medicine, professionals are often asked to sign restrictive covenants that limit their ability to work after leaving a company. However, not all non-competes are enforceable, and even those that are can often be narrowed or negotiated.
When you’re earning at a high level, your severance package should reflect not only your compensation but also your contributions and risks. Too often, executives sign standard severance agreements without fully understanding what they’re relinquishing. Severance packages are contracts drafted to benefit the employer. The attorney writing the severance agreement is
On May 10, 2025, New York State enacted significant amendments to Labor Law §191, which governs the timing of wage payments to manual workers. The amendment reduces the penalties employers face for failing to pay manual workers on a weekly basis. Under the prior law, manual workers were required to
The distinction between employees and independent contractors has significant implications for workers’ rights. Many workers are misclassified as independent contractors when they should be treated as employees. This misclassification leads to a loss of benefits, protections, and pay. Understanding the differences between employees and independent contractors, and the consequences of
If you work more than 40 hours a week, you’re likely entitled to overtime pay—yet many employees don’t realize they could be owed additional compensation. Unfortunately, some employers purposely avoid paying overtime, cheating workers out of their hard-earned wages. How to Tell if You’re Eligible for Overtime Pay Am I
On October 26, 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a settlement with Hilton Reservations Worldwide, LLC, in which the company agreed to pay $715,507 in minimum wages and overtime pay to 2,645 current and former customer service employees in Texas, Florida, Illinois and Pennsylvania. The DOL determined that the
Am I entitled to NY overtime pay? Both the New York overtime pay laws (New York Minimum Wage Act) and the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) require that employers pay overtime to those individuals who are not “exempt” from the overtime requirements. A non-exempt employee must be paid time
Employers Beware: the NY Wage Theft Prevention Act is a Potential Misclassification Minefield! The NY Wage Theft Prevention Act, which became effective April 9, 2011, requires all private sector employers with New York employees (regardless of how many) to provide those employees with a “pay notice” at the time of
The New Jersey state legislature recently proposed a bill that would increase the state minimum wage to $8.50/hour effective July 1, 2012. This would make New Jersey’s minimum wage the third highest in the country (Washington and Oregon are higher). Although the bill is likely to pass the NJ State
OVERTIME VIOLATIONS Unless you are specifically classified as an “exempt” worker, your employer must pay you overtime wages for any hours you work over 40 hours in a workweek (see this prior blog entry). Your employer must pay overtime wages at a rate of at least one and one-half times
