During Ward and Smith’s annual In-House Counsel Seminar, four attorneys from the firm placed a spotlight on recent topics that are striking a chord in the workplace.
The playlist outlined best practices for dealing with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), changes related to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the lawfulness of DEI, and upcoming developments with potential impacts for employers. This article tackles the topics of Immigration and the NLRB. Our next article will address DEI and considerations for the year ahead.
Immigration
Justin Hill, a labor and employment attorney and a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Employment Law, shared insights on recent operations conducted by ICE, including Charlotte’s Web. “This represented some fairly intense enforcement of immigration policies, with more than 425 arrests,” commented Hill.
The operation sparked significant public outcry, with students in the school district organizing a walkout and Governor Josh Stein denouncing Border Patrol agents. “There is some confusion about whether the operation will continue,” Hill said, “and there is a lack of clarity about what the future holds.”
To adequately prepare, employers should build their knowledge of ICE investigatory processes and develop a response protocol.
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