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Mary Leigh Pirtle helps employers navigate complicated and evolving employment law issues. She counsels clients on a wide range of day-to-day employment matters, and regularly conducts onsite internal investigations into allegations of employee misconduct. With experience in both traditional labor and employment litigation, Mary Leigh has represented employers against claims ranging from wage and hour violations to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) violations.

Join me and my fellow Bass, Berry & Sims attorneys for an encore broadcast on Tuesday, September 9 at 12:00 p.m. Central as we provide guidance and best practices for effectively responding to an ICE raid.Continue Reading ICE Workplace Raids: Best Practices and Preparation for Employers Webinar | REGISTER NOW

On May 1, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Field Assistance Bulletin announcing that the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) will no longer enforce the 2024 independent contractor Final Rule previously established by the Biden administration for purposes of complying with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Continue Reading DOL Announces Enforcement Position on Independent Contractor Rule

As we navigate a new year and a new administration, we are all grappling with an unprecedented wave of executive orders and memoranda from the Trump administration that are reshaping the workplace.

From dramatic shake-ups in the EEOC and NLRB to increased scrutiny of DEI practices, employers are facing yet another season of uncertainty.

Continue Reading Register Now | Responding to Policy Shifts Under the Trump Administration

Along with my colleagues Anna Grizzle, Lisa Rivera and Elizabeth Warren, I provide guidance and best practices on effectively responding to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid.Continue Reading Webinar | ICE Workplace Raids: Best Practices and Preparation for Employers

In a recent G2 Intelligence article, I discussed the Texas court ruling halting the ban on non-compete agreements issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2024. While the FTC plans to appeal the decision, employers should be aware of the issues surrounding non-competes in order to stay compliant with the law.Continue Reading Ruling to Halt FTC’s Ban on Non-Compete Agreements

I am looking forward to presenting at the 2024 Employment Law Conference, hosted by the Middle Tennessee Society for Human Resource Management (MTSHRM). My session, titled “Worker Classification: Why it Matters,” will take place on October 16, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. CT. During the presentation, I will discuss various topics related to worker classification, its impact on the workforce, and recent Department of Labor rulings.Continue Reading Register Now | MT|SHRM 2024 Employment Law Conference | October 16-17

Responding to a charge from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) can often be a complex and opaque process, fraught with red tape. To alleviate this burden, we have developed a comprehensive roadmap to assist employers, in-house counsel and human resources professionals in managing EEOC charges from start to finish, while avoiding common pitfalls and mitigating potential risk exposure.Continue Reading Register Now | A Step-by-Step Approach to Navigating EEOC Charges Webinar

As previously covered on our HR Law Talk blog, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) non-compete ban (FTC Rule or the Rule) is scheduled to take effect on September 4, 2024. Issued in April, the FTC Rule prohibits all non-competes arising out of employment relationships – with the exception of existing agreements with “senior executives,” as defined by the Rule. Although many legal experts have hypothesized that the federal courts would enjoin the Rule, the future of the FTC Rule remains uncertain. Accordingly, employers must remain informed on the most recent court rulings involving the FTC Rule and prepare as though it will take effect on September 4.Continue Reading Notices Under FTC Rule on Non-Competes: What Should I Be Doing Now?

We previously posted here regarding a July 1, 2024, increase in the salary threshold for overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Despite multiple legal challenges to the Department of Labor’s 2024 Rule, most of which remain pending, the 2024 Rule is now in effect for all private employers.  Continue Reading Are You in Compliance with the New FLSA Salary Threshold?