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Teresa Lewi

Teresa Lewi represents and counsels companies on a wide range of federal, state, and local employment laws. She focuses her practice on trade secrets, non-competition, executive compensation, separation, employee mobility, discrimination, workplace privacy, and wage-and-hour issues.

Teresa represents clients in the life sciences, technology, financial services, sports, and entertainment industries. She has successfully tried cases in federal and state courts, and has resolved numerous disputes through alternative dispute resolution methods. In particular, Teresa has helped companies achieve highly favorable outcomes in high-stakes disputes over the protection of trade secrets and enforcement of agreements with employees. In addition, she defends companies against public accommodation and website accessibility claims under federal and state anti-discrimination laws.

Teresa also conducts specialized internal investigations and assessments designed to help companies protect their confidential information and trade secrets from employee misappropriation and cybersecurity incidents.

On May 1, 2023, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (“OSTP”) announced that it will release a Request for Information (“RFI”) to learn more about automated tools used by employers to “surveil, monitor, evaluate, and manage workers.”  The White House will use the insights gained from the RFI to create policy and best practices surrounding the use of AI in the workplace.Continue Reading White House Issues Request for Comment on Use of Automated Tools with the Workforce

On April 25, 2023, four federal agencies — the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) — released a joint statement on the agencies’ efforts to address discrimination and bias in automated systems. Continue Reading DOJ, FTC, CFPB, and EEOC Statement on Discrimination and AI

The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (“DCWP”) recently issued a Notice of Adoption of Final Rule (“Final Rule”) relating to the implementation of New York City’s law regulating the use of automated employment decision tools (“AEDT”) by NYC employers and employment agencies.

NYC’s Local Law 144 now takes effect on July 5, 2023.  As discussed in our prior post, Local Law 144 prohibits employers and employment agencies from using certain Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) tools in the hiring or promotion process unless the tool has been subject to a bias audit within one year prior to its use, the results of the audit are publicly available, and notice requirements to employees or job candidates are satisfied.

The issuance of DCWP’s Final Rule follows the prior release of two sets of proposed rules in September 2022 and December 2022.  The Final Rule’s most significant updates from the December 2022 proposal include an expansion of the definition of AEDTs and modifications to the requirements for bias audits.  Key provisions of the Final Rule are summarized below.Continue Reading NYC Artificial Intelligence Rule to Take Effect July 5, 2023: New York City Issues Final Rule Regulating the Use of AI Tools by Employers

Many employers and employment agencies have turned to artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools to assist them in making better and faster employment decisions, including in the hiring and promotion processes.  The use of AI for these purposes has been scrutinized and will now be regulated in New York City.  The New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (“DCWP”) recently issued a Notice of Public Hearing and Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Rules relating to the implementation of New York City’s law regulating the use of automated employment decision tools (“AEDT”) by NYC employers and employment agencies.  As detailed further below, the comment period is open until October 24, 2022.Continue Reading Artificial Intelligence & NYC Employers:  New York City Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Rules That Would Regulate the Use of AI Tools in the Employment Context

On November 8, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a new electronic monitoring law (S2628) requiring New York businesses that monitor or intercept employees’ e-mails, telephone calls, or internet usage to notify employees in writing of these practices.  The new law amends the state’s civil rights law and takes effect on May 7, 2022.
Continue Reading New York Requires Businesses To Notify Employees of Electronic Monitoring