Category: HR Management & Compliance

There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.

EEOC, Nike Settle Subpoena Enforcement Lawsuit

On August 12, a federal district court dismissed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) subpoena enforcement action against Nike at the EEOC’s request. The EEOC said Nike had provided it with the information it sought between March and August. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of Missouri in February after the original charge […]

House-Passed Law Would Impose ‘Collective Bargaining’ Contracts

An unusual, bipartisan coalition of House members voted to pass the Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA), a law that would impose fast-track bargaining schedules for initial contracts and could end in having government arbitrators impose two-year contracts on the parties.  What the FLCA Does  The FLCA would change the current open-ended bargaining and replace it […]

DOL Guts OFCCP Regulations

On August 21, 2026, the Department of Labor (DOL) published its final rules rescinding the Office of Contract Compliance Program’s (OFCCP) regulations for Executive Order (EO) 11246, substantially revising Section 503 regulations, and issuing technical revisions to its Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) regulations.  EO 11246 Regulations  The DOL finalized the rescission of […]

FLSA Brain Twister: How to Determine When Breaks are Compensable

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is complicated. So, the best way to learn is by posing a question, deconstructing the issues, and then answering them. Facts An employee works in a sprawling facility. She gets a 30-minute unpaid meal period. It takes between five and 10 minutes to walk to her car, same upon […]

New DOL Opinion Letter on Commute Time Provides Clear Guidance

On July 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a new opinion letter analyzing whether travel time between an employee’s home and work would be considered compensable under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as hours worked. Travel before and after vs. travel during Specifically, in FLSA2026-9 opinion letter, the employer’s inquiry centered […]

Workplace Weapons: Can Employers in Idaho and Utah Ban Firearms?

Private employers sometimes have questions about firearms at work. Can a private employer prohibit employees from carrying firearms and other weapons on its premises, including those with a valid concealed-carry permit? And are there any legal or privacy concerns with requiring employees who are carrying to disclose this information to management? Questions about whether an […]

Responding to OSHA Investigation: What You Do in the First 24 Hours Matters

A serious workplace incident rarely ends with the incident itself. For many employers, the next challenge arrives when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) begins asking questions. The steps taken during the first 24 hours often shape the course of the agency’s investigation and can affect the company’s position in any resulting enforcement action […]

Supreme Court

What Employers Should Know About Recent TPS Changes

On June 25, 2026, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Mullin v. Doe, in which the Court allowed the Trump administration to proceed with the termination of temporary protected status (TPS) designations for Haiti and Syria. Under the TPS statute, which was enacted in 1990, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary […]

5th Circuit Rules Employee With 27 Work Deficiencies Still Makes It to Jury

You read the headline right: Despite 27 workplace violations, a three-judge panel from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (the federal appeals court for Texas) decided the employee still gets to take her Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) claims to trial. Yes, it was by a 2-to-1 […]

No Free Pass for Medical Marijuana: What a New Florida Ruling Means for HR

When an employee tests positive for marijuana but holds a valid state medical card, how should HR respond? A recent Florida appeals court decision in Hillsborough County v. Giambrone confirmed that having a medical card doesn’t automatically grant an employee immunity from drug-free workplace policies. While the ruling supports employer enforcement, the holding is narrow and tightly […]