Since the Supreme Court’s June 29, 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions (SFA) v. Harvard, 600 U.S. 181 (2023), hiring practices that use race as a factor have come under increasing scrutiny. Orchestra fellowship programs, which many ICSOM orchestras have implemented, are no exception. Even before SFA, musicians have asked whether fellowship programs—which often prefer or are even limited … [Read more...]

As we head into a new bargaining season, one issue that ICSOM negotiating committees might be inclined to bring to the table concerns employer assistance with access to abortion services. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization that upended decades of (what was assumed to be) settled precedent regarding abortion rights, many employees, especially those in … [Read more...]

Update (January 13, 2022): On January 13, 2022, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 to prevent implementation of the ETS, overruling the Sixth Circuit. The Biden administration has subsequently withdrawn the rule. Previous Update (December 17, 2021): On December 17, 2021, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to lift the Fifth Circuit’s stay of the OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), … [Read more...]

We often hear the phrase “elections have consequences.” True enough, but sometimes those consequences fly under the radar. One example is the change in the makeup of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that occurs when a new presidential administration takes over. That has never been so apparent as it is right now. The NLRB is the federal agency charged with enforcing the National Labor … [Read more...]