On May 19, 2025, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche issued a memorandum (the “Memorandum”) establishing the Department of Justice’s “Civil Rights Fraud Initiative” (the “Initiative”). The program “will utilize the False...more
On May 9, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law numerous provisions under the FY26 New York State Budget that, among other things, increase the civil penalties for employers that violate state child labor laws and...more
As we’ve blogged on previously, there’s a split in the New York intermediate-level appellate courts as to whether a private right of action exists for a violation of Labor Law § 191(1)(a), which—absent a waiver by the...more
On April 23, 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order (“EO”) entitled “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy,” which aims to “eliminate the use of disparate-impact liability in all contexts to the maximum...more
On April 23, 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order (“EO”) entitled “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy,” which aims to “eliminate the use of disparate-impact liability in all contexts to the maximum...more
With the nation’s heightened focus on DEI programs and policies, U.S. employers should carefully evaluate the legal risks associated with their DEI-related wage and hour practices....more
On February 14, 2025, the Fifth Circuit denied the appellants’ petition for rehearing en banc in Mayfield v. United States Dep’t of Labor—a September 2024 decision holding that the U.S. Department of Labor’s authority to...more
2/24/2025
/ Administrative Procedure Act ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Minimum Salary ,
Over-Time ,
Rulemaking Process ,
Salary/Wage History ,
SCOTUS ,
Statutory Interpretation ,
Wage and Hour
On November 15, 2024, in State of Texas v. United States Dep’t of Labor, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas ruled that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) exceeded its rulemaking authority by...more
On Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Acting Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) Chair Andrea R. Lucas announced the EEOC plans to target employers that “illegally prefer non-American workers,” as well as “staffing...more
As expected, the White House issued a directive to the heads of all executive departments and agencies within the first few hours after President Trump’s inauguration on January 20, requesting that they halt all non-emergency...more
In E.M.D. Sales, Inc. v. Cabrera, issued on January 15, 2025, the Supreme Court held that the “preponderance of the evidence” standard—and not the more difficult-to-satisfy “clear and convincing evidence” standard—applies...more
We appear to be on the precipice of another federal government shutdown. Absent a political compromise, the federal government’s funding will run out on December 21, 2024. During previous government shutdowns, government...more
12/20/2024
/ COBRA ,
Compliance ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
E-Verify ,
Employment Policies ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Government Agencies ,
Government Shutdown ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Unemployment Benefits ,
Vacation Pay ,
Wage and Hour ,
WARN Act
For the second time in seven years, a federal court in Texas has struck down a U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) rule aimed at expanding the scope of overtime eligibility to workers across the country. On November 15, 2024, in...more
In its September 11, 2024 opinion in Mayfield v. Department of Labor, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held that the U.S. Department of Labor’s explicitly delegated authority to “define” and “delimit”...more
On August 20, 2024, in Ryan LLC v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 3:24-cv-00986-E (N.D. Tex.), the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted summary judgment to the plaintiffs and ordered the...more
On August 14, 2024, in Properties of the Villages, Inc. v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 5:24-cv-316-TJC-PRL, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida enjoined the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”)...more
Earlier today (July 23, 2024), Judge Hodge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania denied a tree care company’s motion to stay the effective date and preliminarily enjoin the Federal Trade...more
In a motion for reconsideration filed on July 10, 2024, the plaintiffs in Ryan LLC v. Federal Trade Commission, No. 3:24-cv-00986-E (N.D. Tex. Apr. 23, 2024) urged the court to expand the scope of its limited preliminary...more
Earlier today, July 3, 2024, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction staying enforcement of the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) proposed final rule (“Final Rule”)...more
On Friday, June 24, 2024, the business day before the Biden Department of Labor’s new overtime rule was scheduled to take effect, a federal district judge granted the State of Texas’s motion for a preliminary injunction to...more
On June 17, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it will tackle a 6-1 circuit split and decide an important wage and hour issue for employers: what burden of proof an employer must satisfy to demonstrate that its...more
Maryland Governor Wes Moore has signed into law SB 525/HB 649, which will require employers to include wage ranges in internal and external postings for positions that will be physically performed, at least in part, in the...more
On April 20, 2024, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law New York State’s Budget for fiscal year 2025. The enacted Budget includes appropriation bills and other legislation required to carry out the budget for the...more
On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) voted 3-2 to issue a proposed final rule (“Final Rule”), which, absent a successful legal challenge, will ban most noncompete agreements in the United States.
Despite...more
4/25/2024
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employment Contract ,
Federal Bans ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Final Rules ,
FTC Act ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Non-Solicitation Agreements ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Trade Secrets
Today the Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 to approve a Final Rule that, absent a successful legal challenge, will ban most noncompete agreements in the United States beginning 120 days after publication in the Federal...more
4/24/2024
/ Employment Contract ,
Enforcement ,
Federal Bans ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
FTC Act ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Non-Solicitation Agreements ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Trade Secrets