ALFA International Publications

Introduction 2022 was a great year for U.S. labor unions and employees, but not so much for U.S. employers.   The Biden National Labor Relations Board dug in and got to work, reversing precedent and charting a course to reinterpret the National Labor Relations Act in new and unimaginable ways. The Board’s General Counsel continued to issue Memoranda exposing her views on key issues, and the Board…

Introduction Labor and Employment law is an area of law which, in comparison to other areas of law, is particularly influenced by European Union law. The influence of Union law is based on primary European legal requirements, European directives that must be implemented by national legislators and the binding decisions of the ECJ. The most recent developments in European labor law relate to the do…

I.             Introduction In today's fast-paced and demanding work environments, the importance of mental health in the workplace cannot be overstated. As employment attorneys, we have witnessed a significant shift in recent years, with employers recognizing the need to address mental health concerns and promote a supportive work environment. This evolving understanding stems from the realizatio…

The Rise of Nuclear Verdicts “Nuclear verdicts” in employment cases are growing in frequency and severity.  A couple of examples: a June 2022 verdict in California for $464 million in a case alleging sexual and racial harassment; an October 2022 Texas verdict for $366 million in a case alleging racial bias. While opinions about the causes of this “nuclear age” vary, employers must have a s…

It is important to stay up-to-date with the latest legal trends and developments in employment law. In this article, we discuss the top five hot topics in employment law that are currently impacting both employers and employees, but start with the bonus topic of AI in the workplace. I.             Artificial Intelligence (AI) Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the work…

Microaggressions – What are they? The term “microaggression” originated in the late 1960s with Harvard University professor Chester Pierce who coined the term to describe the way in which he routinely saw non-black Americans insult, dismiss, and mistreat black Americans.[i] The meaning of the word has broadened over time, as noted in the definition for the term given by Dr. Derald W…

Socially Inflated Jury Verdicts, Plaintiff’s Efforts to Attain the Nuclear Verdict, and Defense Strategies in Combating It Social Inflation – What is it? A term used to describe increased loss costs stemming from claims far more severe than what could be anticipated under the usual scope of economic inflation and claims trends. When insurance coverage becomes more expensive because o…

Agents continue to be a vital part of the insurance industry. They are subject to potential liability for their own negligence as it relates to their obligations to their clients, who are potential insureds. Moreover, the negligence of an agent can be imputed to insurance companies on whose behalf they market, sell and procure policies. The traditional relationship between an independent agent and…

What is a Reservation of Rights Letter? A Reservation of Rights ("ROR") letter is a written communication to policyholders notifying them of the carrier's coverage position and setting forth a company's assumption of defense, subject to coverage reservations. The ROR letter mainly affords the insurer an opportunity to undertake a more thorough factual investigation into the claim without waiving i…

The idea of appraisal in the context of a first party property insurance claim seems straight forward enough.  If the insurer and the insured disagree about the “amount of loss” either can invoke appraisal and an appraisal panel will resolve that dispute quickly and efficiently, and then the parties will easily resolve the claim with no further dispute.  The reality is more complicated. …