As part of the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, Congress enacted new protections for whistleblowers who provide information about the failure to pay taxes that should have been paid, or about any conduct that the employee believes is a violation of tax laws or any federal law relating to tax fraud.
Author Archives: Cameron McIver
New Changes to Connecticut Employment Laws
The Connecticut General Assembly has passed several significant changes to Connecticut law impacting various areas of employment, which the Governor is expected to sign.
Supreme Court Clarifies Scope of Protection for Whistleblowers
In a recent case, Digital Realty Trust, Inc. v. Somers, decided on February 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court clarified that the Dodd-Frank Act – passed in 2010 in the wake of the financial crisis – only protects whistleblowers from retaliation if they report violations of securities laws to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
EEOC Issues New Guidance on Retaliation Claims
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), in 2015, retaliation claims made up to 45 percent of all private-sector charges filed with the agency.
Walmart Agrees to $7.5 Million Settlement in Same-Sex Benefits Lawsuit
Walmart is poised to pay millions of dollars to thousands of former and current employees after it agreed to settle a lawsuit claiming the company denied health insurance to same-sex spouses.
Congress expands whistleblower protections for employees of government contractors
On December 5, 2016, Congress enacted S. 795, which permanently extends legal protections to employees of federal contractors, subcontractors, grantees, and others employed by entities that receive federal funds who report waste, fraud, or abuse involving federal funds.
MPP Case Establishes Strong Free Speech Protections for Employees at Connecticut Supreme Court
In 2015, the Connecticut Supreme Court issued an important decision protecting the rights of employees to speak out against wrongdoing in the workplace. The case, Trusz v. UBS Realty Investors LLC, 319 Conn. 175 (2015), involved Richard Trusz, a former manager director at UBS who Madsen, Prestley & Parenteau represented from 2008 until 2016, and his former employer.
How can I prove that my pregnancy caused me to be discriminated against at work?
Federal and state laws prohibit pregnancy discrimination in employment. The prohibition not only protects the pregnant employee from wrongful termination, but from discriminatory treatment in the terms and conditions of employment—such as pay, benefits, work assignments, leaves of absence and discipline.
What should a company do to accommodate a disabled worker?
The Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA] specifies failure to provide a ‘reasonable accommodation’ as illegal discrimination. Under the ADA, a reasonable accommodation is defined as environmental employment changes designed to allow a disable worker to perform essential job functions.
Jacques Parenteau successfully defended an appeal of the $2m awarded in Craine v. Trinity.
Jacques Parenteau successfully defended an appeal of the $2m awarded in Craine v. Trinity.