United States: Employment and HR

The US Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury have released their 2025 MHPAEA Report to Congress, revealing persistent compliance failures among employer health plans regarding mental health parity requirements. The report details enforcement activities from August 2023 to July 2024, documenting hundreds of deficient comparative analyses and ongoing violations of nonquantitative treatment limitations. Despite increased regulatory scrutiny and repeated warnings, the data shows that pla

A California federal court recently granted summary judgment to an employer in a whistleblower retaliation case, despite finding evidence of protected activity. The decision highlights how well-documented performance issues spanning years can overcome retaliation claims, even when an employee reports suspected illegal conduct. What factors proved decisive in allowing the employer to prevail?

New York's Legislature has passed the "No Severance Ultimatums Act," which would impose significant new requirements on employers offering severance agreements to New York employees. The bill mandates a 21-day consideration period, a 7-day revocation window, and prohibits coercive tactics, expanding federal protections currently limited to workers aged 40 and older to nearly all New York employees. Employers must prepare for immediate implementation if Governor Hochul signs the bill, as non-compliant agreem