News & Commentary

Many negotiated severance agreements contain confidentiality provisions and non-disparagement clauses. In a reminder that these provisions must be taken seriously, a federal judge has held a former Genzyme Corp. employee in contempt – with the possibility of incarceration – for her repeated refusals to comply with those provisions of her settlement agreement with Genzyme. This…

Judge Ronnie Abrams has approved a settlement of more than $400,000 for claims of, among other things, unpaid overtime and minimum wages by seven workers represented by Levy Ratner. Susan Cameron discusses the settlement on NY1 Noticias here.

On January 25, 2019, Governor Cuomo signed the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) into law in New York. GENDA amends existing law to include gender identity or expression as a protected class and prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression in employment, housing, education, credit, and access to public accommodations. An estimated…

On November 28, 2018, Levy Ratner and Feinberg Jackson Worthman & Wasow filed a class action on behalf of Plaintiffs Ynes Gonzalez de Fuente, Mariya Kobryn, and Ivan Kobryn in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York against, among others, Preferred Home Care of New York, Edison Home Health Care,…

On May 5, 2018, amendments to NYC’s Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law took effect. The amendments broadened the scope of the law; now, employees have the right to use accrued leave for sick leave, the care of family members, and to seek assistance or take other safety measures if they or a family member…

On July 16, Administrative Law Judge Lauren Esposito rejected a proposed settlement between McDonald’s USA and the General Counsel National Labor Relations Board, in large part because it would have little actual impact on the workers affected by McDonald’s unfair labor practices. In 2012 McDonald’s workers complained of retaliation for supporting “Fight for $15,” a…

The Chancellor’s Citation serves to recognize the significant civic or career achievements by the selected winners. “This event honors outstanding members of Syracuse University’s alumni community,” said Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud. Gwynne is associate general counsel of 1199SEIU, a 300,000-plus member health care union, and devotes much of her practice to representing 1199 and…

Carl J. Levine, whose practice includes representing full-time and part-time faculty members, graduate student employees and professional staff members at institutions of higher education, participated as a panelist this March at the Annual Conference of the National Center for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and the Professions. His panel presentation addressed “Contingent…

In a statement of economic solidarity, women of Levy Ratner went on strike March 8, International Women’s Day, for equity, justice and human rights.  “We know all too well that women continue to face unequal wages, sexual harassment, discrimination and job insecurity,” says Gwynne A. Wilcox, whose practice on behalf of working people has lifted…

Brooklyn Law School’s Labor & Employment Law Association has selected LR’s Dan Ratner to receive its 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award. Dan serves as General Counsel to 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest health care local in the nation.