Preventing Harassment in Light of the Speak Out Act

?Employers may need to adjust their practices and policies to comply with the Speak Out Act, which invalidates nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) and nondisparagement agreements designed to keep employees from discussing instances of... Read more »

Feds Push to End Noncompete Agreements

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a proposal on Jan. 5 to ban noncompete agreements that restrict mobility among employers. Some employers and attorneys are concerned the rule could hamper retention efforts and their intellectual property.... Read more »

Retail Pharmacies Can Dispense Abortion Pills

?The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will permit retail pharmacies to sell abortion pills in the United States for the first time, the agency indicated on Jan. 3. Mifepristone is a... Read more »

Protections for Pregnant Workers Approved

Editor’s Note: The U.S. House of Representatives passed the spending bill on Dec. 23, following the Senate’s approval on Dec. 22. President Joe Biden signed the bill into law on Dec. 29. The... Read more »

Potential Costs Much Higher for Violating Labor Law

?Under a new National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule, employers must compensate workers to make up for the direct consequences of unfair labor practices. This ruling could be expensive for employers, adding... Read more »

OFCCP Seeks to Gather Much More Information During Audits

?The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has proposed changes to its scheduling letters for audits of federal contractors that would require contractors to share much more information with the agency.... Read more »

Challenge to ‘No-Hire’ Agreement Proceeds

?Takeaway: The appeals court’s decision in this case highlights the caution that companies—whether operating as part of a franchise system or as competitors—must exercise in entering into formal or informal agreements relating to... Read more »

Discipline of Police Officers Was Not Retaliation for Complaints

Takeaway: Employees’ generalized complaints about racial unfairness in the workplace do not qualify as protected activity sufficient to support a retaliation claim. In this case, two police officers complained that workplace comments suggested... Read more »

New York Enacts Law Targeting Amazon Work Rate Quotas

?New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed into law legislation intended to rein in work quotas at warehouses, including Amazon. We’ve gathered articles on the news from SHRM Online and other outlets.... Read more »

Predicting California Legal Trends for 2023

California employment law had a very active year in 2022, with a slew of new laws and important cases, especially in the areas of arbitration, employee classification and statutory leave. Will these... Read more »