New York Paralegal Blog

Ever wonder why you're not supposed to share your salary with co-workers? Or felt uncomfortable being asked about your past pay in a job interview? Good news: New York State is changing the game! Our state has rolled out some powerful new laws designed to bring more fairness and transparency to the workplace, helping you earn what you deserve. Let's break down these exciting updates: 1. Know Your Worth: Salary Ranges in Job Ads! Beginning September 17, 2023, most New York employers (those with four or more employees) must include a salary range in nearly all job advertisements. This includes postings for new jobs, promotions, and transfers. What does this mean for you? No more guessing games! You'll know upfront if a job's pay aligns with your expectations, saving you time and giving you a stronger hand in negotiations. This also helps close pay gaps by making compensation more consistent and visible. 2. Talk About It: Your Right to Discuss Pay T...

In the second installment of our series on Affirmative Action, we shift our focus to the arguments underpinning its continued necessity. Proponents assert that the playing field is not yet level, and that systemic barriers and the long shadow of historical disadvantages continue to impede true equality of opportunity for racial minorities. This isn't about ignoring merit, but recognizing that merit is often stifled by deeply ingrained societal inequalities. The Unseen Hurdles: Systemic Barriers Imagine a race where some runners start with hurdles in their lanes while others have a clear path. This is the reality created by systemic barriers. These are not isolated incidents of prejudice, but rather institutionalized practices and policies that, while seemingly neutral on the surface, disproportionately disadvantage minority groups. One stark example lies in the use of credit reports in employment. For many, a credit score is a reflection of financial responsibility. However, due t...

FTC Charges HireRight Solutions Incorrectly Listed Criminal Convictions on Reports of Some Consumers An employment background screening company that provides consumer reports to companies nationwide will pay $2.6 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act by failing to use reasonable procedures to assure the maximum possible accuracy of information it provided, failing to give consumers copies of their reports, and failing to reinvestigate consumer disputes, as required by law.

Pending Inventory Reduced for First Time in 10 Years, Record Amount of Relief Obtained in FY 2011, EEOC Reports WASHINGTON—The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) received a record 99,947 charges of employment discrimination and obtained $455.6 million in relief through its administrative program and litigation in Fiscal Year 2011, the agency announced today. For the second year in a row, despite a record number of receipts, the Commission resolved more charges than it took in with 112,499 resolutions (7,500 more resolutions than FY 2010—an increase of 7%)—leaving 78,136 pending charges, a ten percent decrease in its inventory, the first year the agency has seen a reduction since 2002.

MILWAUKEE – A federal district court judge in Milwaukee has entered a consent decree resolving an employment discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against a major Wisconsin building products company, the agency announced today.

The Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), along with 15 other federal agencies within the Obama Administration, today announced a $33 million Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge to drive innovation-fueled job creation and global competitiveness through public-private partnerships in at least 20 regions around the country.  The Challenge will award funds to regions with high-growth industries that support a wide range of economic and workforce development activities. The Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration will invest up to $20 million for technical skills training; EDA will invest up to $10 million in Economic Adjustment Assistance funds; and the Small Business Administration will invest up to $3 million in technical assistance.  The Obama administration is committed to smarter use of existing federal resources to foster regional innovation in support of sustainable economic prosperity. Strong indus...

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA In the week ending Feb. 26, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 368,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 388,000. The 4-week moving average was 388,500, a decrease of 12,750 from the previous week's revised average of 401,250. The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 3.0 percent for the week ending Feb. 19, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.1 percent.

EEOC Examines Employers’ Treatment of Unemployed Job Applicants at Hearing WASHINGTON—In a public meeting held today, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) examined the impact of employers considering only those currently employed for job vacancies. “Throughout its 45 year history, the EEOC has identified and remedied discrimination in hiring and remains committed to ensuring job applicants are treated fairly,” said EEOC Chair Jacqueline A. Berrien. “Today’s meeting gave the Commission an important opportunity to learn about the emerging practice of excluding unemployed persons from applicant pools.”

The FBI has a critical need to hire new Special Agents and Professional Support personnel to support and to carry out the honorable mission of the FBI. These vital roles help the agency continue to meet the challenge of global terrorism and homeland security. In working for the FBI, you will have a daily impact on the nation's security and the quality of life for all U.S. Citizens. A career with the FBI will provide you with a challenging, compelling, and rewarding experience. Visit FBIJOBS.gov

(USCIS) WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that it has submitted to the Federal Register an interim final rule that will streamline the Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9) process. The interim final rule narrows the list of acceptable identity documents and further specifies that expired documents are not considered acceptable forms of identification. An expansive document list makes it more difficult for employers to verify valid and acceptable forms and single out false documents compromising the effectiveness and security of the Form I-9 process. The changes included in the interim final rule will significantly improve the security of the employment eligibility verification process. More...

By: Joel Irving The ABA Journal is surveying lawyers about the job market and the current state of the economy. If you would like to participate in the survey click on the following link: ABA Journal Survey

WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice announced today that it has settled its employment lawsuit on behalf of Tracey Marshall, a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve, against the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Hillsborough County, Fla.The Department’s complaint, filed last October in the U.S. District Court in Tampa, alleged that the Clerk’s Office violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA). The Clerk’s Office failed to reemploy Marshall in her prior position as supervisor of the Clerk’s Court Clerk II Section of the Circuit Criminal Division when she return from active duty in October 2005. In addition, it is alleged that the Clerk’s Office retaliated against Marshall after she took action under USERRA, by transferring her from the Clerk’s Circuit Criminal Division to the Clerks Traffic Department, which offered a lower pay rate. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the Clerk’s Office will reinstate Marshall to Manager of the Court Cl...

WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have jointly filed a complaint in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to enforce a mediation settlement agreement that was entered into by the EEOC on behalf of an individual and the Housing Authority of the City of El Paso (Housing Authority). The settlement agreement resolved a charge that was filed against the Housing Authority under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment on the bases of sex, race, national origin and religion, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA). The charging party claimed that she had been discriminated against on the basis of her national origin and her age when she was not selected for a promotion. In exchange for the dismissal of the charge, the Housing Authority agreed to pay the charging party $2,000, make certain changes to its promotional interview panels, and allow an outsid...