Employers are facing renewed uncertainty about workplace protections for gender identity after federal agency guidance was recently withdrawn. On January 22, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted 2-1 to rescind its 2024 Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace, including portions addressing gender identity and sexual orientation. The guidance was intended to help … Continue Reading
With the start of the new year, California Assembly Bill 692 (AB 692) is now in effect, introducing sweeping new restrictions on employment agreements that include so-called “stay-or-pay” provisions — terms requiring employees to repay money or incur financial consequences if they leave employment before a specified period. These provisions have become increasingly common in … Continue Reading
The 2025 legislative cycle in California once again produced several bills that substantially expand and reform employer obligations in the Golden State. These laws add new workplace notice requirements, broaden leave and rehiring protections, expand personnel file and recordkeeping obligations, and modify rules governing pay transparency, independent contractor status, and labor relations. Most provisions take … Continue Reading
The EEOC is back on track, with a restored quorum, funding, and a well-defined agenda that aligns with the current administration’s policies. As the agency embarks on new policy initiatives, resumes rulemaking, and works to clear its case backlog, employers can take measures to ensure optimal preparedness.… Continue Reading
New York City employers just received another compliance deadline to add to their calendars. On February 22, 2026—120 days after enactment—amendments to the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA) will significantly expand employee leave rights. The amendments add new categories of permissible leave, impose frontloaded annual leave obligations, and continue employer reporting requirements. While … Continue Reading
As the effects of the pandemic continue to feel more and more like a distant memory, a sweeping “return-to-office” (RTO) trend is underway. Often motivated by collaboration goals and productivity gains for bringing staff back on-site, RTO mandates may cause employers to wrestle with complex legal compliance issues during the transition, and spark employee morale … Continue Reading
This summer, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) came in hot, making — and proposing to make — changes to workplace rules that could affect employers of all industries. The DOL of the new administration is certainly diving right in, but do employers need to sweat the changes? This post breaks down the new and … Continue Reading
It’s that time of year again. Tens of thousands of high school, college, and graduate students will descend on employers this summer, looking to gain practical work experience in the various fields in which they have interest. Employers hosting interns this summer, or considering it in the future, need to be aware that hosting interns … Continue Reading
The 2024 EEO-1 data collection period is officially open, and the clock is ticking! If you’re an employer who’s required to file, mark your calendars — the filing deadline is June 24, 2025. But here’s the catch: the reporting window is shorter than usual, and the EEOC has made it clear there will be no … Continue Reading
As expected, the first lawsuits have been filed to challenge a new Department of Labor (DOL) “Overtime Rule” that significantly raises the minimum salary threshold for the exempt, administrative, and professional (EAP) and highly compensated employee (HCE) overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The new rule is intended to take effect today, July … Continue Reading
With expanding legalization and commercialization—including several state initiatives in 2024 and perhaps even federal legislation—the chances are good that your California business has at least a few employees who consume recreational cannabis in their free time. A new California law, Assembly Bill 2188, shields these employees from consequences at work for using cannabis away from … Continue Reading
Algorithmic discrimination continues to be a focal point of concern, as evidenced by recent legislation introduced in California which, if passed into law, will require employers who use automated decision tools to make consequential decisions to undergo a cost-benefit analysis regarding the use of such technology. Employers must continue to proceed with caution, and be … Continue Reading
With Mother’s Day coming up on May 12, it is a great time for companies to review their workplace policies regarding working moms, and update or supplement them as needed. Studies consistently show that women in the workplace double the talent pool, improve company performance, and lead to financial gains. However, despite these benefits, research … Continue Reading
The wait is over, but the fight is just beginning. Will U.S. employers need to break up with non-compete agreements forever? The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted “yes” earlier this week in pushing through a Final Rule that broadly bans nearly all forms of non-compete agreements. But while the move represents the culmination of the … Continue Reading
In the era of Tiktok influencers and Instagram models, almost everyone has an online side hustle, and that highly qualified referral you just interviewed or bright new hire you just made might just be one of them! The same digital world that created social media celebrities has also made it easier than ever for employers … Continue Reading
Hospitals, urgent care clinics, doctors’ offices — these are the places we go when we are sick and want to get better. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are the people who treat us, help us recover, and even save our lives in medical emergencies. Yet according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare … Continue Reading
A new California law taking place on workplace violence requires employers to develop and implement written plans and interactive training to prevent and respond to on-the-job threats of violence by July 1, 2024. Among other things, Senate Bill 553 requires adopting an “effective” written workplace violence prevention plan, either as a stand-alone document or as … Continue Reading
New York is closing out 2023 by ushering in sweeping amendments to its law governing non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in certain settlement agreements. The amendments represent the next step in New York’s ongoing effort to regulate the use of NDAs, particularly when confidentiality is not a complainant’s preference. The changes took immediate effect on November 17, … Continue Reading
With 2023 coming to an end, now is the optimal time for employers to update their employee handbooks, policies, and procedures applicable to California workforces for the upcoming year. Here’s a roundup of several recently enacted California laws, with the majority set to take effect January 1, 2024.… Continue Reading
While jingle bells have only just begun to ring, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement bells have been ringing steadily throughout year. In recent months, the SEC announced significant settlements with employers for violations of Rule 21F-17 — the SEC’s whistleblower protection rule — as a result of language in non-disclosure agreements, separation … Continue Reading
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently rocked the business world when it announced a Proposed Rule that, if implemented in its current form, would force employers around the country to increase salaries for millions of currently exempt workers or convert them to non-exempt employees eligible for overtime. The Proposed Rule would dramatically increase the … Continue Reading
A scary surprise is fun to encounter when you are in a haunted house at a Halloween event, but not so much fun when you are performing a background check on a potential employee. Even worse is finding out after the fact that you failed to comply with one of the many legal requirements, and … Continue Reading
EEO-1 reporting season will soon be upon us. As we previously wrote, the 2022 EEO-1 reporting deadline has been a moving target. Almost since its founding in the 1960’s, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has collected data from employers about the demographics of their workforces as a means of ensuring compliance with equal employment … Continue Reading
Another school year is upon us, which means employers around the country should study up on school-related activities leave policies. While there is no federal law mandating that employers give employees time-off to attend school-related activities for their children, there are many states across the country that do. Employers who fail to do their homework … Continue Reading
