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Employers in Washington State will no longer be able to utilize non-compete agreements in the workplace following a new law just signed by Governor Ferguson on March 23. The law broadly prohibits the use of non-compete agreements between businesses and workers starting in June 30, 2027 and requires employers to issue special notices by October […]
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a FAQ-style joint technical assistance document addressing telework accommodations for federal employees with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on February 12, 2026. The joint guidance is in response to President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20, 2025, order […]
For years, Small Business Administration (SBA)-backed small business loans were available to borrowers that were at least 51% owned by US citizens, US nationals, and/or US legal permanent residents (LPRs also known as “green card” holders). The Trump Administration has now extended the scope of its efforts to tighten immigration-related policies and rules to qualifications […]
Under federal laws like the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers are required to send a variety of notices to their employees concerning health insurance coverage, retirement benefits, and other employee […]
The New York “Trapped at Work Act” prohibits employers from requiring an “employment promissory note” as a condition of employment — defined broadly to include any agreement that requires payment to the employer for leaving before a stated time. On February 13, 2026, Governor Hochul signed the chapter amendment to the law, delaying the effective date by […]
On February 22, 2026, the amended New York City Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA) went into effect. Amendments to the related, but separate, New York City Temporary Schedule Changes Law (TSCL) also went into effect on February 22. Highlights of the amendments include: (a) a new 32-hour unpaid safe and sick time requirement that is […]
California’s AB 692, officially in effect as of January 1, 2026, restricts employers from including in an employment contract, or require as a condition of employment, any provision that requires that a worker repay a debt when they terminate employment. The law largely prohibits repayment of costs associated with sponsoring immigrant and non-immigrant visas and permanent resident status. With […]
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take up to 12 work weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during a 12-month period for, among other reasons, the treatment of the employee’s own serious health condition or to care for a parent, child, or spouse with a serious health condition. Leave may […]
On January 12, 2026, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule that will increase fees associated with its Premium Processing Service. The increased fees will take effect on March 1, 2026, and are based on inflation measured from June 2023 through June 2025. The premium processing fee for Form I-129 nonimmigrant worker […]
Beginning with the 2026 tax year, employers will be required to separately report qualified tips and qualified overtime compensation on Form W-2. Although the IRS provided penalty relief for 2025 and did not require revised forms for that year, this transition period ends in 2026. Employers should be prepared to update payroll, timekeeping, and HR […]