Corporate, Litigation, and Labor & Employment Lawyers

Honolulu and Hilo, HI

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Hawaii Employment Law Decisions April 16 to April 22, 2017 – Jeffrey S. Harris

U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals District Court properly granted summary judgement against discrimination and retaliation claims, because former employee failed to raise a genuine dispute of material fact as to whether employer’s legitimate, non-discriminatory and non-retaliatory reasons for its actions were pretextual.  Starks v. Parball Corp., 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 7043 (9th Cir. April...

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Hawaii Employment Law Decisions April 9 to April 15, 2017 – Jeffrey S. Harris

U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals District Court properly granted summary judgment against breach of duty of fair representation claim because former employee failed to sue within six-month statute of limitations after union’s time for asserting grievances expired. District Court properly dismissed for lack of jurisdiction breach of contract claim against employer because district court's jurisdiction...

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Hawaii Employment Law Decisions April 2 to April 8, 2017 – Jeffrey S. Harris

U.S. Supreme Court Ninth Circuit improperly reviewed District Court’s decision to quash an EEOC subpoena in discrimination investigation.  District Court quashed EEOC subpoenas seeking pedigree information (names, Social Security numbers, addresses and telephone numbers) of all employees asked to take physical examination in investigation of charge by employee who returned from maternity leave, failed three...

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Hawaii Employment Law Decisions March 26 to April 1, 2017 – Jeffrey S. Harris

U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals District Court properly granted summary judgment against FLSA claim by driver applicants who attended three-day orientation.  The applicants were not employees under FLSA, because they took driving and skill tests, completed tax and administrative paperwork, showed they understood and would comply with safety policies and regulatory standards during the...

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Hawaii Employment Law Decisions March 19 to March 25, 2017 – Jeffrey S. Harris

U.S. Supreme Court Acting general counsel of NLRB became ineligible to perform functions of office requiring Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation upon being nominated by the President to fill the vacant position, since the prohibition against a nominee serving in an acting capacity extended to any person serving as an acting official and was not...

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Hawaii Employment Law Decisions March 12 to March 18, 2017 – Jeffrey S. Harris

U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals District Court properly granted summary judgment against ADA claim, because former teacher and his wife failed to raise genuine issue of material fact as to whether they were terminated because of his disability or reasonable accommodation requests.  District Court properly granted summary judgment under Fair Housing Act, because teacher...

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Hawaii Employment Law Decisions March 5 to March 11, 2017 – Jeffrey S. Harris

U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals District Court properly denied employee’s motion for judgment as a matter of law and new trial on hostile work environment claim.  Although evidence could have supported employee’s claim, there was also support for the employer.  Several witnesses testified the conduct amounted to no more than jokes and horseplay   Employee’s...

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Directors Jeffrey S. Harris, Ronald I. Heller Selected for Inclusion to the Top 25 2016 Hawaii Super Lawyers List

Two of our attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers with inclusion in their Top 25 2016 Hawaii Super Lawyers List. The honorees are attorneys Jeffrey S. Harris and Ronald I. Heller, both Directors at Torkildson, Katz, Hetherington, Harris & Knorek Attorneys At Law. They were selected by Super Lawyers on the basis of independent...

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January and February 2017 Key NLRB Decisions; Christine K. D. Belcaid

Change on the Horizon:  On January 26, 2017, President Trump named Board member Philip A. Miscimarra Acting Chairman of the NLRB.  Miscimarra, who is the sole Republican member of the Board, was known for his colorful dissenting opinions often in favor of employers.  Trump will likely nominate Republicans to fill the two current vacancies on...

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Hawaii Employment Law Decisions Feb. 26, 2017 to Mar. 4, 2017 – Jeffrey S. Harris

U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals District court properly granted summary judgment against claim for failing to adequately compensate employee for overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.  Breaks not authorized by the employer were not working time.  Sheehy v. Santa v. Santa Clara Valley Trans. Auth., 2017 U.S. App. LEXIS 3723 (9th Cir. Mar....

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