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Sixth Circuit: Volunteers are not Entitled to a Minimum Wage

May 18, 2018

When is a volunteer an "employee"? The question is a complicated one, but the Sixth Circuit recently rejected the Department of Labor's attempt to require a church-owned enterprise to pay all volunteers a minimum wage. A church run by controversial televangelist Ernest Angley owns a for-profit restaurant buffet. Angley would recruit church members to serve as volunteers for the restaurant. The Department of Labor sued alleging that the workers were "employees," arguing 1) that there was no such thing as a "volunteer" for a for-profit entity, and that 2) the workers were coerced by their pastor and thus were not truly volunteers. The District Court agreed. Facing a judgment of $388k, the restaurant closed during the litigation.

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Employment/Religious Organizations

NONPROFIT LAW NEWSFEED

One Nonprofit Partnership Supports Two Different Missions

05/18/2018

Nonprofit Quarterly  Community approaches to problem solving can take many forms; in this arena, nonprofits benefit from their ability to be nimble and creative. In North Carolina, the Crossnore School and Childrens’ Home and the Piedmont Land Conservancy have done just that.

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The Noose Around Issue Advocacy Tightens Again Today: Google Ads Will Require “Verification” to Mention or Show A Candidate or Current Officeholder

05/04/2018

Vox PPLI  Today the noose begins to tighten more around social media issue advocacy. Facebook is not the only platform censoring content; today Google announced a new requirement for advertisers who want to “purchase an election ad” on Google.

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Norwich Nonprofits Dealt a Cruel Blow as Property Taxes Are Assessed

04/30/2018

Nonprofit Quarterly  Every now and again, we see reports of incidents like what’s currently occurring in Norwich, Connecticut, where Assessor Donna Ralston has announced her intent to tax ne

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House Passes Bill to Require E-Filing of Nonprofit Tax Forms

04/19/2018

Philanthropy News Digest  The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that would require nonprofit organizations to electronically file their tax returns and make those forms available to the public in machine-readable format.

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U. of C. seeks to dismiss lawsuit over $100M gift, files counterclaim against benefactor

04/11/2018

Chicago Tribune  The court dispute between the University of Chicago and one of its largest donors is escalating as the university fired back against a lawsuit aiming to negate a $100 million donation to the South Side school.

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NGO Leaders Sign Pledge to Show Commitment for Change

04/06/2018

Nonprofit Quarterly  More than a hundred CEOs of NGOs from across the nation are promising to improve how they address and prevent sexual abuse and harassment by and among their staff. Their public pledge was signed last week by members of InterAction, an alliance of 185 American NGOs working to combat poverty across the globe.

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Charities Get Cease And Desist From California AG

03/23/2018

The NonProfit Times  California Attorney General Xavier Becerra issued cease-and-desist orders against three charities that officials said were deceptive in fundraising solicitations. It is alleged the organizations portrayed program spending percentages as inaccurately high as a result of including noncash contributions. A fourth charity filed to dissolve a day after receiving notice from the state’s highest law enforcement office.

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Donor-Disclosure Requirement Upheld By Court

03/20/2018

The Nonprofit Times  An appeals court has upheld the dismissal of a legal challenge to New York’s requirement that charities disclose their major donors as part of registration requirements to solicit contributions in the state.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit handed down its decision on Thursday in Citizens United and Citizens United Foundation v. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

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Three Million? No Thank You! A Restricted Gift is Declined

03/16/2018

Nonprofit Quarterly  Some large gifts are philanthropic versions of Trojan horses, and the wise nonprofit measures this possibility carefully. This story reflects one organization’s consideration and ultimate rejection of what would have been a course-changing offer.

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Pearson Family Members Foundation sues University of Chicago, aiming to revoke $100M gift

03/13/2018

Chicago Tribune  The donation to the University of Chicago in 2015 was as generous as it was ambitious: the Pearson Family Members Foundation pledged an eye-popping $100 million to establish a center devoted to finding new ways to resolve global conflicts. Nearly three years later, that donation is in disarray.

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One Nonprofit Partnership Supports Two Different Missions

05/18/2018

Nonprofit Quarterly  Community approaches to problem solving can take many forms; in this arena, nonprofits benefit from their ability to be nimble and creative. In North Carolina, the Crossnore School and Childrens’ Home and the Piedmont Land Conservancy have done just that.

READ MORE

The Noose Around Issue Advocacy Tightens Again Today: Google Ads Will Require “Verification” to Mention or Show A Candidate or Current Officeholder

05/04/2018

Vox PPLI  Today the noose begins to tighten more around social media issue advocacy. Facebook is not the only platform censoring content; today Google announced a new requirement for advertisers who want to “purchase an election ad” on Google.

READ MORE