EEOC Files First Sexual Orientation Discrimination Lawsuits
Two recent suits filed by the EEOC demonstrate the growing strength of the legal theory that Title VII protection extends to sexual orientation (despite the fact that it is not explicitly stated in the statute). The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed discrimination lawsuits against two employers last week based on sexual orientation. One suit, filed against Pittsburgh-based Scott Medical Health Center (case 2:16-cv-00225-CB), alleges that a gay male employee was harassed due to his sexual orientation. The other, filed …
Read More »
Laura Noble to present “The Ever-Changing Landscape of FLSA Overtime Issues” at Sterling Cutting Edge Issues Seminar on February 2, 2016
Laura Noble of The Noble Law Firm will present “The Ever-Changing Landscape of FLSA Overtime Issues” on February 2, 2016 at the Embassy Suites Raleigh/Crabtree as part of the Sterling Education Services, Inc. Employment Law Update: Cutting Edge Issues Seminar. Excerpt from “The Ever-Changing Landscape of FLSA Overtime Issues” presented by Laura Noble: Statistics from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts show that lawsuits against employers for violating the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by misclassifying exempt or non-exempt employees …
Read More »
Business NC Magazine Has Recognized Laura Noble of The Noble Law Firm Among the State’s Legal Elite Three Years Running from 2014-2016
Since 2002, Business North Carolina magazine has honored Tar Heel lawyers by publishing Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite, a listing of the state’s top lawyers in business-related categories. Winners are chosen not by BNC editors but by the state’s lawyers. Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite has become the model for other awards and lists, but it remains unique as the only award that gives every active lawyer in the state the opportunity to participate. Business North Carolina’s Legal Elite includes …
Read More »
Visit Noble Law at the PRIMETIME Expo on September 10
Come visit the Noble Law Firm’s booth at the PRIMETIME Business Expo, hosted by the Chapel Hill and Hillsborough Chambers of Commerce on Thursday, September 10, 2015 from 4:00PM – 7:30PM. The event will take place at UNC’s Friday Center. At PRIMETIME the movers and shakers in our business community and learn about brag-worthy local products and services to advance your business and personal life! PRIMETIME is free and open to the public and will provide opportunities to enjoy good networking, food and drink, and …
Read More »
Personal Texts on Company Devices
Let’s say you have a personal iPhone and a company-issued iPhone. On your work phone, you enter the same personal iCloud username and password you use on your personal iPhone so you can listen to your music library on either one. One day, you start up a text conversation with a co-worker on your personal iPhone. You’re both talking about this woman you work with named Kate, and because it’s a private conversation, you use some pretty insulting, derogatory, and …
Read More »
Even Legal Off-Duty Marijuana Use Can Get You Fired
Marijuana legalization is a hot topic in the United States these days and has presented some interesting new questions in the workplace. Increasingly, states are legalizing or decriminalizing private use of marijuana while the federal government continues to prohibit its use and sale under the Controlled Substances Act. At the intersection of federalism and employment law is a novel question in search of an answer: Can an employer in a state that has legalized marijuana terminate an employee in that …
Read More »
Employment Law Guest Lecture: An Overview of Federal and State Discrimination Laws
Laura Noble, Principal of the Noble Law Firm provided an employment law guest lecturer on June 16, 2015 for North Carolina State University Department of Management, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The attorneys role-played different scenarios addressing hiring and firing issues and offered an overview of Federal and State Discrimination Laws. Students actively participated in the lecture by asking questions using the Turning Point “clicker” questions.
Laura Noble Elected to the Fellows of The American Bar Foundation
The American Bar Foundation certifies that Laura L. Noble has been elected to The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. Chapel Hill, NC — The American Bar Foundation announced that Laura Noble, founder of the Noble Law Firm, has been elected to The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation. The honor is selected in recognition of exemplary dedication to the profession, commitment to the work of the American Bar Foundation, and support for the ideals and objectives of the American …
Read More »
Summary of Unemployment Eligibility and Benefits in NC
In 2013, the North Carolina General Assembly drastically cut benefits for individuals who lost their jobs. Here are a few things you should know about the unemployment insurance benefit in North Carolina if you have recently become separated from your employer and are considering filing a claim for benefits: Prerequisites File a claim for unemployment benefits Must have been paid a minimum amount of wages based on your individual situation preceding the filing of the claim Register for work Eligibility You are …
Read More »
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress at Work
North Carolina recognizes torts for both negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress. However, North Carolina courts have instructed that North Carolina law does not permit an action for negligent infliction of emotional distress by an employee against an employer because the Workers’ Compensation Act preempts all claims for negligent injury by employees against employers. Intentional infliction of emotional distress (“IIED”), however, is in a class of torts called intentional torts. This means that a plaintiff must prove that the …
Read More »