May 29, 2020
No items found.

The Berke-Weiss Law Weekly Round-Up

Welcome to what we hope will become a weekly feature, in which we round up stories related to our practice that caught our eye. It’s important that we acknowledge that coronavirus has accentuated already deep and persistent issues in employment law in general, and our particular interests, such as pregnancy and parental leave. However, the crisis has only exacerbated them and we hope to call attention to them not simply so we can think about them, but so we can work together to develop tools and other means to make a post-coronavirus world one where workers’ concerns are heard.

Greater Effect on Unemployment for Women

The Hill has a feature this week that dives into the most recent batch of unemployment numbers, and the outlook is not good, especially for women. According to the research, women outpace men in unemployment by 10 points. Much of this can be attributed to the fact that the industries that were most severely affected, such as childcare, retail, hospitality, and other service-centered industries. However, even in professional fields, where women hold only 46% of jobs, they accounted for 56% of the layoffs.

Bailout for Childcare?

Meanwhile, writing in the New York Times, Claire Cain Miller asks if the childcare industry should receive a bailout. In April, we sounded the alarm with a blog post that described how devastating coronavirus had already been to workers who had lost their childcare options, and now the entire industry is teetering on the brink. However, instead of politicians trying to pass much needed legislation that would create a federal guarantee for childcare for all children, they are considering an industry-wide bailout, with Republican senators proposing a $25 bailout in the next pandemic package for private childcare providers while congressional Democrats are asking for $50 billion to be distributed as the Childcare and Development Block Grant. 

How Are Working Parents Coping?

And finally, Caroline Fairchild asks where is the mental health support for working parents during the pandemic? Coming out of a recent survey by Fairchild and others, the LinkedIn editor pulled out some important facts about how parents are coping with the added stress. She notes that even though mental health was already a problem pre-pandemic, and caregiving options affected significantly by the closures of schools and other facilities, 74% of the largest cohort of working parents, millennials, are stressed at work. Additionally, 60% of respondents reported that their employers had not made accommodations, such as changing schedules so workers could provide childcare. In addition to highlighting the numbers, Fairchild also spoke with a panel of mental health professionals about the issues.


Employment Litigation Dips during Covid

November 3, 2020
Sexual Harassment
According to a new analysis by Lex Machina and reported on by Law360, workers filed 2,700 fewer federal complaints or lawsuits through the first three quarters of 2020. The report notes that the drop-off has been particularly apparent in the second and third quarters.

Health Care Workers Bring Suit Against OSHA over Pandemic Rules

November 2, 2020
No items found.
A large coalition of union-represented workers in health care and education are pressing the Ninth Circuit Court to require the Department of Labor to direct its Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to put a rule into effect which has been batted about since the scare of H1N1 in 2009.

New York Metro Super Lawyers Recognizes all Berke-Weiss Law Attorneys

November 2, 2020
No items found.
Berke-Weiss Law PLLC is excited to announce that all of our lawyers were once again recognized by Super Lawyers in 2020.

Get In Touch

Knowing where to turn in legal matters can make a big difference. Contact our employment lawyers to determine if we can help you.