The National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) issues timely statements regarding federal legislation and regulations, executive branch and judicial nominations, and federal court decisions that impact workers’ rights. We invite the media to contact us about workplace issues, our legislative initiatives and regulatory comments, and our efforts to preserve an independent and fair judiciary. NELA’s membership includes the nation’s leading experts in the field of employment and labor law, and we work with the press to identify the best commentator for print, television, or digital media stories. Below you will find our current and archived news releases.
To read NELA’s comments, letters, and testimony on our legislative & public policy initiatives, visit our Statements, Letters and Testimony page.
For general media inquries, please contact us at media@nelahq.org.
News Release
Bolaños is the first Latina to serve as board president of 39-year-old organization Concord, Calif. – July 26, 2024 – The Board of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), the nation’s largest bar association whose members exclusively or primarily represent workers, has elected its officers for 2024-2025. The NELA Board is composed of 24 member attorneys from around the country. M. Nieves Bolaños, the first Latina to serve as NELA’s president, assumes the role from Carla D. Brown, the first Black woman leader of the organization. This transition represents a significant milestone for NELA, highlighting the importance of diverse representation […]
Syllo levels the playing field for workers’ rights advocates by allowing them to leverage AI tools previously accessible only to large firms. NELA is thrilled to announce the launch of our partnership with Syllo, a pioneering AI-powered eDiscovery tool for litigators developed by plaintiffs’ employment lawyers. Syllo enables attorneys and paralegals to use AI to organize, understand, and litigate their matters faster and more efficiently. The partnership is a direct result of NELA members’ request for and experience with advanced eDiscovery tools and technology to enhance their firms’ performance. As part of our mission to empower workers’ rights attorneys, we […]
The act would eliminate statutory damage caps and enhance protections for workers in discrimination cases For Immediate Release Contact: Andrea Hansen 509.306.1867 ahansen@flyingcrow.com Concord, Calif. – May 8, 2024 – Today, in a significant milestone for workers’ rights, Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Bobby Scott (D-VA), and Senator Edward Markey (D-MA) introduced the Equal Remedies Act of 2024. The proposed legislation calls for the elimination of statutory damage caps for employment discrimination in civil rights cases, and would modernize the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) to allow those who experience age discrimination to pursue compensatory and punitive damages. The National […]
NELA celebrates the confirmation of Karla Gilbride as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) General Counsel. Ms. Gilbride’s breadth of experience makes her well qualified to coordinate regional and field office litigation to maximize enforcement of federal employment anti-discrimination laws in harmony with the broader strategy of the agency. The EEOC is the first defense for workers seeking justice when they have experienced discrimination, harassment, or other illegal treatment at their place of employment. In her hearing before the Senate HELP Committee, Ms. Gilbride’s responses demonstrated her deep knowledge of the issues for which the EEOC has responsibility and her […]
NELA celebrates the confirmation of Kalpana Kotagal as the newest commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Ms. Kotagal’s extensive record of fairness and justice will strengthen the EEOC as it continues its mission to protect workers from discrimination. Ms. Kotagal has extensive litigation experience handling cases on behalf of employees under a range of federal civil rights and employment discrimination statutes, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), the Equal Pay Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Americans with Disabilities […]
NELA In The News
The National Employment Lawyers Association, an organization of over 2,000 employment attorneys that has been a vocal advocate for what it sees as some of the most important issues affecting workers, has a new director who previously led a state chapter of the ACLU.
Two dozen progressive organizations want Congress to expand the lower courts beyond what the federal judiciary itself has recommended.
Lawyers from around the country recently weighed in on the need for amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and future national emergencies
Our Members in the News
Law360 takes a look at four of the biggest wage and hour developments in the regulatory and legislative space in 2020.
As employment lawyers who have devoted our careers to fighting discrimination in the workplace, we are heartened to see the world awaken to systemic and structural racism after the egregious killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor. We are also keenly interested to watch corporate giants weigh in from their positions of privilege and power, as they post online messages supporting Black Lives Matter, tweet condemnation of racist police violence and donate to organizations such as the NAACP.
“You get treated like an animal,” Rayshard Brooks stated in a 2019 interview regarding his experiences in the criminal justice system. “Some of the system could look at us as individuals; we do have lives, you know.” Black lives matter. Mr. Brooks, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor have all recently given their lives to teach our society a truth that we still, somehow, have not learned.
Follow Us