Employment Law and Labour Law

Maryland employers must comply with new posting requirements under the Worker Freedom Act, which prohibits penalizing employees who decline attendance at employer-sponsored meetings on religious or political matters. The Maryland Department of Labor has released official notices in English and Spanish that must be displayed prominently in workplaces and provided to new hires starting November 1, 2026.

California's new Senate Bill 1316 creates a potentially case-dispositive evidentiary consequence for public works contractors beginning January 2027: failure to timely produce payroll, time, and employment records in response to labor commissioner requests may bar contractors from using those records to defend against civil wage and penalty assessments. The statute effectively transforms the investigation stage into a critical phase of hearing preparation, where a contractor's initial response to records re

ICE has updated its Form I-9 inspection guidance for the second time in 2026, introducing a new notice for expired work authorization and clarifying penalty calculations. The update provides critical insight into audit procedures, electronic system requirements, and the stricter enforcement framework that reclassified common Form I-9 errors from technical to substantive violations.

A federal court rejected a challenge to Executive Order (EO) 14398, “Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors.” The court concluded the EO’s prohibition targets only unlawful intentional discrimination and applies to work performed under a specific contract containing the required clause.

California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (the “FEHA”) proscribes various forms of employment discrimination, including discrimination based on religious beliefs. Among other things, the FEHA requires employers to provide a reasonable accommodation when an employee’s religious belief conflicts with their job requirements. On October 7, 2026, in Smith v. Burbank Unified School District, a three-judge panel of the California Court of Appeal held that an unpaid leave of absence can be a reasonable accommodation for employees whose religious beliefs prevent them from complying with a mandatory vaccination requirement.

Share on Twitter Print Share by Email Share Back to top By now you have likely heard that the EEOC has significantly reduced the time to respond to a notice of a pending EEOC charge. Historically, when a respondent received a notice of an EEOC charge (which are delivered via e-correspondence — so be on the lookout for e-mail from the EEOC), it typically had at least 30 days to provide a response.

A federal court in New York's Northern District has issued a pivotal ruling on whether warehouse employees must be compensated for time spent walking between security checkpoints and timeclock stations. The decision examines the interplay between federal Portal-to-Portal Act limitations and New York state wage regulations, with significant implications for employers operating large distribution facilities.

When two unions claim the same work, employers face a complex jurisdictional dispute. A recent Ninth Circuit decision clarifies how the National Labor Relations Board's Section 10(k) determinations...

Share on Twitter Print Share by Email Share Back to top By now you have likely heard that the EEOC has significantly reduced the time to respond to a notice of a pending EEOC charge. Historically, when a respondent received a notice of an EEOC charge (which are delivered via e-correspondence — so be on the lookout for e-mail from the EEOC), it typically had at least 30 days to provide a response.

Explore the latest updates in employee benefits law, including innovations in retirement services, mental health parity guidance, ICHRA regulations, ESOP valuation legislation, and Medicare Part D pharmacy contracting standards. Stay informed on critical developments affecting healthcare compliance, paid family leave, and marketplace enrollment protections.

For owners of closely held businesses, an employee stock ownership plan, or ESOP, can be an attractive way to transition ownership while allowing employees to participate in future growth. But one issue has long made ESOP transactions more difficult and expensive: uncertainty over how the Department of Labor, or DOL, and courts will evaluate the price paid for privately held employer stock.

In a significant en banc decision, Bolton v. Inland Fresh Seafood Corporation of America, Inc., No. 24-10084, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit overruled its four-decade-old precedent in Mason v. Continental Group, Inc., 763 F.2d 1219 (11th Cir. 1985), and found that ERISA does not require plaintiffs to exhaust administrative remedies before bringing statutory claims—including claims for breach of fiduciary duty.