For decades, unions have been permitted to collect “fair share” fees from employees who are not union members but who nonetheless reap the benefits of a negotiated union contract and union representation at work. Last summer, an anti-labor challenge to the legality of the fair-share system was defeated in the U.S Supreme Court by virtue of a 4-4 deadlock. The recent appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch has cast doubt on the continued validity of the fair-share system, however, and big business is hoping that the Court will revisit the fair-share issue this year in a case from the state of Illinois.

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The uncertainty of the messy legislative process has real effects on insurance markets across the nation and, specifically, across the Commonwealth. Without a clear legislative path to repeal, replace, repair or otherwise reshape health care, the insurance markets have reacted strongly.

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The Philadelphia Municipal Court recently launched a pilot program in landlord-tenant cases that provides tenants with a way of withholding rent due to unacceptable living conditions without having to fear a judgment against them if they withhold more than the court finds is warranted.

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The firm was recently was honored by Philadelphia VIP (Volunteers for the Indigent Program) with its William J. Brennan Award in recognition of the firm's outstanding commitment to the provision of pro bono legal services.

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Social Security Disability (SSDI or SSD) is a disability benefit available to individuals who have accumulated sufficient work credits to qualify for Social Security, while Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a benefit provided to lower income individuals who have not worked or have not worked enough to qualify for SSDI.

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On Jan. 24, 2017, the National Labor Relations Board issued a decision affirming a 2016 ruling by Administrative Law Judge Christine Dibble that held, among other things, that EYM King of Missouri, LLC (EYM) d/b/a Burger King, Kansas City, Missouri violated Section 8 (a)(1) of the National Labor Relations Act when it issued discipline to six employees who engaged in a one-day strike.

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If you share custody of your child or children with another adult, you should be aware of the Pennsylvania law regarding relocation of a minor child. The child custody law in Pennsylvania requires an adult to obtain either (a) the consent of every individual who has custody rights to a child or (b) court approval, before a minor child is relocated.

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In December 2016, the Washington, D.C. City Council passed a bill to provide paid family and medical leave to private sector workers in the city. The law would not apply to government workers, but would allow up to 8 weeks of parental leave, 6 weeks of leave to care for sick relatives, and 2 weeks of personal sick leave for covered employees.

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Voluntary Post-Adoption Contract Agreements, or "PACAs," were created to provide a framework for enforceable post-adoption contact between the biological family members of an adopted child, the child, and the adoptive parents. In Pennsylvania, these agreements are created by statute.

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The Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") is a federal law that requires certain employers to provide qualifying employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. This blog post is Part II of a series providing an overview of the FMLA, and this post outlines how an employee requests FMLA leave.

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Same sex couples gained the legal right to marry in the state of Pennsylvania in May 2014. Along with the right to get married came the right to dissolve that marriage through divorce. Now, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania has taken things a step further. Same sex couples joined in civil unions can now dissolve their union through divorce in the state of Pennsylvania.

Read more about civil union divorce...