United States: Contract of Employment

President Trump has nominated James Macy to the National Labor Relations Board, potentially creating a 3-1 Republican majority that could reshape labor law precedent. With over 40 years of management-side experience, Macy's confirmation could enable the Board to revisit controversial Biden-era pro-union decisions. Employers should prepare for potential policy shifts affecting joint employment standards, union organizing procedures, workplace rules, and employer speech protections.

Washington state has enacted sweeping legislation that will fundamentally reshape employment agreements by banning virtually all non-compete clauses and restricting non-solicitation provisions. The law applies retroactively to existing agreements and imposes strict notice requirements on employers, with violations carrying potential statutory damages.

Following a fast and furious legislative session, employers operating in Washington State should take action to comply with a host of new labor and employment laws passed by the Washington Legislature...

On April 10, 2026, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the first False Claims Act (“FCA”) resolution under the Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) Civil Rights Fraud Initiative...

DOJ announces first False Claims Act settlement targeting DEI practices, resolving claims that IBM employment policies violated federal anti-discrimination requirements in government contracts.

President Trump's recent executive order ("EO") targets diversity, equity, and inclusion ("DEI") practices of federal contractors by introducing timelines and language for DEI certifications, threatening termination of contracts for noncompliance, and seeking to encourage False Claims Act ("FCA") actions.

On February 26, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB" or the "Board") published a final rule formally withdrawing its 2023 joint employer regulation and reinstating the narrower...

Washington now joins a small but growing number of states that have declared non-competition covenants void and unenforceable. On March 23, 2026, Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed into law Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1155 (SB 1155), which effectively bans non-compete agreements for virtually all employees and independent contractors in Washington state. The law takes effect on June 30, 2027.

Is it the egos? The profits? The risk? The stress? The often poorly-done contracts? Some combination of all of the above? Hard to say, but real estate owners...