Texas District Court Finds Obama Overtime Rule “Invalid” But Salary Threshold Within DOL Authority

Following the nationwide injunction in November of 2016 halting implementation of the Department of Labor’s new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) overtime rule, a large amount of uncertainty has existed regarding the future of the final rule. Recently, the same Texas court that halted the overtime rule in November issued a decision essentially striking down the rule for good. The final rule would have set a new salary threshold by more than doubling the minimum salary basis for the most

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The Future of TPS

On May 22, 2017, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) extended Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) for citizens and nationals of Haiti for 6 months, rather than the standard 18 months.   As a reminder, the TPS program allows citizens and nationals of certain designated countries to remain in the United States and obtain work authorization. With this most-recent extension, Haitians with TPS will be permitted to remain in the United States and continue working until January 22, 2018.  

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Travel Ban 2.0 Partially Reinstated

On June 26, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court partially reinstated President Trump’s 90-day travel ban for citizens and nationals of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.   Specifically, the Supreme Court reinstated the travel ban for foreign nationals of the designated countries who “lack any bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States.”   The Government is, however, still enjoined from enforcing its travel ban against foreign nationals who have “a credible claim of a

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United States Supreme Court Ruling in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer

The United States Supreme Court ruled today in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer, argued in April by Tueth Keeney attorney James Layton. The case arose from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources applying Missouri’s long-standing constitutional provision barring money from the public treasury from being given to a church. Similar language is found in constitutions in most other states. Here, the constitutional language was applied to exclude the preschool ministry of Trinity Lutheran

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Recent Internal OCR Guidance Signals Scale-Back of Obama Administration Investigative Strategies

Yesterday, it became public that the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education has issued new internal guidance regarding investigations conducted by that office.   As the memorandum notes, the guidance is effective “immediately” and “applies to all complaints currently in evaluation or investigation, as well as newly-filed complaints.” There are two main policy directives of note: “¢      Increased discretion and control over investigations by Regional Offices ““ the guidance removes

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Extreme Vetting for Visa Applicants Abroad and Increased H-1B Enforcement at Home

The U.S. State Department recently issued guidance to its diplomatic and consular posts abroad relating to implementation of Executive Order 13780, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.” This guidance directs U.S. embassies and consulates to begin implementing heightened screening for certain visa applicants. Each post is directed to develop a list of criteria to identify sets of applicant populations that warrant increased scrutiny. Because the Department’s directives call for individualized review

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Drug Testing: It’s Not For Everyone

Nearly six years ago, the Board of Regents for what was then called Linn State Technical College required drug testing for all students. This month, the court challenge to that policy, which began in September 2011, came to a quiet end as the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider the case. The State Technical College policy was intended “to provide a safe, healthy and productive environment for everyone who learns and works at Linn State Technical college by detecting, preventing

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Update: Missouri Legislature Passes Minimum Wage Bill, Overriding St. Louis City Ordinance

UPDATE: MISSOURI LEGISLATURE PASSES MINIMUM WAGE BILL, OVERRIDING ST. LOUIS CITY ORDINANCE (BUT ORDINANCE REMAINS IN PLACE, AT LEAST THROUGH AUGUST) At the end of the most recent legislative session, the Missouri General Assembly passed a minimum wage bill (HB 1194 & 1193), prohibiting “political subdivision[s]” (including municipalities) from establishing a minimum wage that exceeds state law. This bill effectively overrides the City of St. Louis ordinance establishing a minimum wage of $10/hour. Prior discussion about

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St. Louis City Employers Must Pay Higher Minimum Wage Beginning Today, May 5

Background:   City’s New Minimum Wage Law Withstood Legal Challenge and Avoided Action from Missouri General Assembly to Become Law The City of St. Louis”™ new, higher minimum wage of $10 per hour takes effect today, May 5, 2017. Back in 2015 when the City took up the minimum wage legislation, few would have predicted that the City’s efforts to raise its minimum wage would become law. Almost immediately after its passage in 2015, the City’s minimum wage law was

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En Banc Seventh Circuit Says Sexual Orientation Discrimination Is Sex Discrimination

On April 4, 2017, the Seventh Circuit issued a landmark decision, holding that sexual orientation discrimination qualifies as sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”).   The 8-3 ruling is the first by an U.S. Court of Appeals to hold that sexual orientation is prohibited  under federal employment discrimination law. As  noted, in a previous Tueth Keeney Insight regarding this case, Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College, a panel of

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