“The North Dakota Insurance Department announced that as of Sept. 1, 2013, anyone applying to become a North Dakota resident insurance producer must undergo a criminal background check, including fingerprinting. This requirement is the result of the passage of Senate Bill 2304 and does not apply to individuals renewing a license or individuals who apply…
In the decision, Judge William H. Pauley III ruled that Fox Searchlight should have paid two interns on the movie “Black Swan,†because they were essentially regular employees.
The judge noted that these internships did not foster an educational environment and that the studio received the benefits of the work. The case could have broad implications. Young people have flocked to internships, especially against the backdrop of a weak job market.
Employment experts estimate that undergraduates work in more than one million internships a year, an estimated half of which are unpaid, according to Intern Bridge, a research firm.
“Employers have already started to take a hard look at their internship programs,†said Rachel Bien, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. “I think this decision will go far to discourage private companies from having unpaid internship programs.â€
Chris Petrikin, a spokesman for 20th Century Fox, said: “We are very disappointed with the court’s rulings. We believe they are erroneous, and will seek to have them reversed.â€
Eric Glatt and Alexander Footman, production interns on “Black Swan,†sued Fox Searchlight in September 2011. In the suit, Mr. Glatt and Mr. Footman said they did basic chores, usually undertaken by paid employees. Like their counterparts in other industries, the interns took lunch orders, answered phones, arranged other employees’ travel plans, tracked purchase orders, took out the trash and assembled office furniture.
“I’m absolutely thrilled,†said Mr. Glatt, who has an M.B.A. from Case Western Reserve University. “I hope that this sends a very loud and clear message to employers and to students doing these internships, and to the colleges that are cooperating in creating this large pool of free labor — for most for-profit employers, this is illegal. It shouldn’t be up to the least powerful person in the arrangement to have to bring a lawsuit to stop this.â€
In the ruling, the judge said unpaid internships should be allowed only in very limited circumstances.â€
On October 1, 2013, Nevada will be the tenth state to prohibit the use of credit information for employment purposes. This new law was introduced by Senator Parks on February 18, 2013.  This bill was intended to “prohibit employers from conditioning employment on a consumer credit report or other credit information.” Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval…
On July 1, 2013, the State of Colorado will be the 9th state to restrict an employer’s right to use credit reports when making employment related decisions. Should an employer wish to procure a credit report for employment related purposes, it must be “substantially related to the employee’s current or potential job.” The statute defines…
State Rep. Mark Pafford, D-West Palm Beach, has introduced a bill in the legislature that will require all summer camps to be licensed by the state and which will mandate criminal background checks for camp counselors. Pafford said he decided to introduce the bill after he read a series of stories last year in The…
A case pending before the Colorado Court of Appeals could have a big impact on whether employers will be able to fire workers who smoke marijuana off duty. The case concerns a former Dish Network telephone operator and medical-marijuana patient who was fired after testing positive for pot, even though there was no evidence he…
-Article written by attorneys at Seyfarth Shaw LLP- The City of Newark, New Jersey recently passed an ordinance that will significantly impact employers’ and other entities’ ability to conduct criminal background checks or even ask about a candidate’s criminal background. The ordinance limits both when and the extent to which employers may ask about or…
The EEOC Criminal History Guidance just passed by a 4-1 vote. Mega Group Online will update you as more information regarding this guidance becomes available.
A proposal to expand California’s “ban the box†policy was introduced on February 24th by California Assemblymember Roger Dickinson. AB 1831 is modeled on the “ban the box†hiring process for state and public employees adopted in 2010.  AB 1831 aims at removing the criminal background check requirements from the initial hiring process for city…
Contact Us!
