Confidentiality Agreements and Social Media: The $90,000 Facebook Post
 In February 2014, Patrick Snay, former headmaster of the Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami, Florida learned just how airtight a confidentiality provision in a settlement agreement can be. His story, which has garnered national coverage in recent weeks, shows what can happen when standard legal settlement provisions intersect with modern communication in the digital age.
In 2010, Snay sued the Gulliver School after the school failed to renew his employment contract. Snay alleged that Gulliver had discriminated against him and that his daughter, a Gulliver student, was suffering retaliation.
In 2011 the parties settled the lawsuit, and as part of that settlement agreed to keep both the existence and the terms of settlement private – a standard "confidentiality" provision. A few days later, Snay's teenage daughter, Dana, posted on her Facebook page for all 1,200 of her "friends" to see.
Read more about the $90,000 Facebook post...
Game Change: NLRB Permits College Football Players to Elect a Union
The National Labor Relations Board broke new ground on March 26, 2014, when the Regional Director for the Chicago Office of the NLRB directed a union election among college scholarship football players at Northwestern University. The election petition was filed by the College Athletes Players Association ("CAPA"), with significant support from the United Steelworkers of America. If successful, the Northwestern football unionization effort could be a game-changer for collegiate athletics in America.
While most people understand that college athletes are not paid salaries for their service as athletes, few outside college sports know that collegiate athletic programs do not supply medical coverage for injuries, even disabling injuries, for more than a year or two after the injury. Most people also don't know that scholarships are routinely withdrawn after an athlete is unable to play due to injury. Too frequently, college athletes are unable to complete their degree during the period of their NCAA eligibility due to the rigorous and time-consuming demands of sports and injury -- but their scholarships end with their eligibility. Read more about college football players electing to unionize...
Obamacare and Act 111 – What's in Store for 2014?
One of the major components of the Affordable Care Act is the introduction this year of "Marketplaces" or "Exchanges" through which individuals can purchase health insurance directly. The ACA marketplaces opened this year and started accepting applications in late 2013.
The availability and different levels of marketplace coverage has caused some confusion among police officers, firefighters and public employers regarding the continued availability of their current health plans. Over the past months, many local police and fire unions have had to defend against misguided attempts by their employers to change their health benefits, allegedly due to an "Obamacare mandate."
In each instance, the question has been the same – can the city change our plan because of Obamacare? And in each instance the answer has been the same, too – NO, NO and NO!
Read more about Obamacare and Act 111...
Attorney Insights – Willig, Williams & Davidson Attorney Amy Rosenberger Discusses Unions in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania labor and employment lawyer and firm Partner Amy L. Rosenberger discusses the firm's experience with unions and employment in Pennsylvania. Jobs, wages and benefits, including pension benefits, of public and private employees are under attack nationwide, Rosenberger said, and defending those rights takes an attorney experienced in labor law. Click here to watch the full video...
Featured Practice Area: Labor
Since its founding in 1979, Willig, Williams & Davidson has remained committed to representing the rights of working people. Today, we serve as trusted legal advisors to hundreds of labor organizations representing both private and public employees.
Whether negotiating contract terms or protecting the rights of workers hurt on the job, obtaining excellent legal representation is crucial. With decades of experience under our belts, our labor law attorneys are intimately familiar with federal and state administrative agencies and courts, as well as the laws that govern all aspects of the workplace. Read more about the firm's labor law representation here...
Workers' Compensation Q&A – Did You Know?
Our firm often answers questions about workers' compensation. Here are some of the most frequently asked:
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