Felhaber Larson

Texas Federal Court Enjoins Enforcement of FTC Non-Compete Ban But Declines to Impose Nationwide Injunctive Relief On July 3, 2024, Judge Ada Brown of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas temporarily blocked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from enforcing its recent rule banning virtually all employee non-compete agreements in the United States. In its 33-page opinion, the court ruled that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their claims that the FTC lacks statutory authority to issue its non-compete ban via rulemaking and that the FTC’s decision was arbitrary and capricious. To read more... https://lnkd.in/gVq9tYhy

Felhaber Attorneys Named to 2024 Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® Lists Felhaber Larson is proud to announce that 16 of our attorneys have been selected to the 2024 Minnesota Super Lawyers® and Minnesota Rising Stars® lists. Of our 16 attorneys, one is an honored member of the Top 10 attorneys category, two are in the Top 50 Women category, and three are on the Top 100 attorneys list! https://lnkd.in/ePkMQqRW

It Was Wishful Thinking On Our Part... As we told you last month, effective January 1, 2025, more generous paid time off programs are impacted by amendments to the Minnesota ESST statute. Read more... https://lnkd.in/gKEWTb8e

Minnesota Federal District Court Rules That the MHRA Does Not Apply to Workers Who Do Not Work in Minnesota at the Time of Termination In Walton v. Medtronic USA, Inc., a federal district court in Minnesota recently found that the Minnesota Human Rights Act (“MHRA”) did not apply to an employee who did not live in Minnesota and previously traveled to Minnesota occasionally for work, even though the employee reported to supervisors based in Minnesota and the employee’s employment agreement contained a provision which stated it was to be governed by Minnesota law. In other words, the court held that the employer did not violate the MHRA because the MHRA does not protect a worker who does not live or work in Minnesota at the time of his termination. To read more... https://lnkd.in/gwfVbQJS

Felhaber Larson is Selected as 2024 Best Places to Work Honoree by Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Felhaber is again honored that the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal selected the firm as one of the Best Places to Work, one of only 15 organizations in the category of 50 to 99 Minnesota employees. Felhaber is again honored that the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal selected the firm as one of the Best Places to Work, one of only 15 organizations in the category of 50 to 99 Minnesota employees. This distinction is particularly meaningful as it was the result of confidential survey results from our team. More than 84% of our employees participated in the survey, and their anonymous responses resulted in an overall score of 91.52 out of 100! When asked to choose a word to describe our culture, their top four choices were flexible, friendly, collaborative, and supportive. For 26 years, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal has recognized organizations that put a premium on their employees with their Best Places to Work awards. With discussions of engagement and employee retention across the country, as well as the challenge to attract top talent a struggle for many companies, it is more important than ever to create and sustain an engaging, inclusive workplace. This year, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal has identified 70 employers in the region that scored high marks from their employees when asked to rate their employers on a variety of questions related to leadership, communication and more.  Felhaber Larson could not be more grateful for this honor. https://lnkd.in/gWJUqyQh

Minnesota 2024 Legislative Update. The 2024 Minnesota legislative session is in the books. As we have previously reported, last year’s 2023 legislative session was historical in the number of employment-related laws that were passed. 2024 did not have as much action as last year, but there are certainly a number of new laws and changes to existing ones that should be on every employer’s radar. Many will require changes to handbooks and policies to remain compliant, so please consult with Felhaber’s experienced team of labor and employment attorneys to discuss your specific situation. To read more... https://lnkd.in/gu9x7X9G

2024 Amendments to the Minnesota ESST Statute In the closing minutes of the 2024 legislative session, the Minnesota Legislature passed a 2,800 page bill that included several significant changes to the Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law. The law made several significant changes to the ESST statute that are effective immediately and a significant change to PTO policies that is effective January 1, 2025. To read more... https://lnkd.in/gyW-P9Ns

Felhaber Larson Welcomes Our 2024 Summer Associates Felhaber Larson is pleased to welcome our summer associates, Matthew Friedmann, Tessa Register, and Fidelina Valverde-Rivera to the firm.  https://lnkd.in/gV3485Fq

Immediate Legal Action – 17 States Commence Lawsuit Seeking to Enjoin Implementation of the Final Regulations Implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act On April 25, 2024, Attorneys General from 17 states commenced a lawsuit in federal court against the EEOC seeking to enjoin the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act’s (“PWFA”) final regulations published on April 19, 2024. The 17 challenging states include Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia.

Federal Trade Commission Issues Final Rule Banning Noncompetes. On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a final rule effectively banning all existing noncompete agreements and prohibiting new noncompetes, concluding that noncompetes are an unfair method of competition under Section 5 of the FTC Act. However, as will be discussed below, there are a few exceptions permitting the enforcement of a noncompete agreement. The ban will go into effect 120 days after the rule is published in the Federal Register. https://lnkd.in/g2suYUsb