In this episode, Michael Schmidt discusses important labor and employment developments, including the EEOC’s new technical guidance on remote work as an accommodation; the NLRB’s new directive on handbook rules and new joint...more
Michael Schmidt begins the 10th season of the "Employment Law Now" podcast, with his guest from each anniversary episode: Howard Schweitzer, CEO of Cozen O'Connor Public Strategies. Howard and Michael discuss the major...more
In today's episode, Michael Schmidt talks about the L&E developments and trends that employers should be watching as we begin 2026....more
In May of 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule that would have banned virtually all noncompete agreements on a national level.Specifically, the Rule deemed noncompete provisions, and the mere act of...more
9/23/2025
/ Anticompetitive Agreements ,
Appeals ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Final Rules ,
FTC Act ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Rule-of-Reason Analysis ,
State Labor Laws ,
Trump Administration
This new episode highlights a few of the biggest L&E developments from the Summer of 2025, including from the DOL and EEOC, and on such hot topics as DEI-related discrimination, the FTC's non-compete proposal, and AI laws....more
Season 5 of State AG Pulse kicks off with State AG Group attorneys Chris Allen and Ann-Marie Luciano in conversation with Vice-Chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Group, Mike Schmidt, on the Trump administration’s...more
This is our 8th anniversary special episode (starting from February 1, 2017), and Michael Schmidt is joined as usual each anniversary by Howard Schweitzer to discuss Trump 2.0 and the current state of politics for employers.
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In today's episode, Michael Schmidt provides an update on the Trump 2.0 initial activity in the DEI area, and is joined by Donna Hughes of Hughes Solutions to discuss the administration's DEI activity and the nature of, and...more
It's another new year, and like prior years, today's episode identifies the 5 biggest labor and employment questions and issues that employers should be watching in 2025....more
Michael Schmidt is joined by Jason Marsili of Marsili Mediation to discuss the often over-looked art and skill involved with mediation, and the important considerations for employers when determining whether, when, and why to...more
This past Friday, November 15, 2024, a federal court in Texas struck down on a nationwide basis the U.S. Department of Labor's 2024 regulations that significantly increased the minimum salary thresholds for federal law...more
NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo joins Michael Schmidt today to discuss her latest memorandum finding that "stay or pay" provisions in employee agreements constitute illegal noncompetes under the National Labor Relations...more
In this second of Michael Schmidt's two-part series on the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), he is joined by his Cozen O'Connor colleague, Debbie Friedman, to discuss the scope of the PWFA from a practicing...more
In this first of two parts on the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), current Vice Chair of the EEOC Jocelyn Samuels discusses the regulations implementing the PWFA and how the PWFA differs from Title VII and the...more
In this special 150th podcast episode, Michael Schmidt is joined by his Cozen O'Connor colleagues David Barron and Jim Gale to discuss what is left of the FTC noncompete rule, if anything, and what employers should be doing...more
Today is Part 2 of 2, following yesterday's episode. As his term as EEOC Commissioner ended at the end of August 2024, (former) EEOC Commissioner Keith Sonderling joined the podcast one last time to discuss a wide range of...more
As his term as EEOC Commissioner ended at the end of August 2024, (former) EEOC Commissioner Keith Sonderling joined the podcast one last time to discuss a wide range of important employment issues, including court deference...more
We first discussed the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Proposed Rule banning noncompete agreements in our January 9, 2023, Client Alert, and again on April 25, 2024, when the FTC issued its Final Rule. The effective date of...more
This episode provides the latest update on the FTC non-compete ban scheduled to go into effect on September 4, 2024, the likelihood that it will go into effect, and what employers should be doing about it right now, plus...more
Where are things right now with the injunction decisions on the FTC’s non-compete ban and the DOL’s new overtime exemption regulations? Today’s new episode provides the latest updates, while also discussing the Supreme...more
Host Michael Schmidt is joined by his Cozen O’Connor colleague, Jeff Klamut, to summarize the current regulatory landscape involving artificial intelligence and what employers should be thinking about right now.
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In this second part of a two-part series, Michael Schmidt discusses the FTC's new ban on non-competes from yesterday, the DOL's new overtime exemption rule from yesterday, and OSHA's recently-released "walkaround rule." Hear...more
In this first part of a two-part series, Michael Schmidt of Cozen O'Connor discusses significant recent employment law developments coming out of the primary federal agencies: The U.S. Department of Labor, the EEOC, the FTC,...more
In today's special 7th anniversary episode, Michael Schmidt brings back his inaugural and annual guest, Howard Schweitzer, to discuss the current state of politics in this election year and the impact on employers....more
Michael Schmidt is joined by Hope Pordy, Esq., a Partner with the law firm of Spivak Lipton in New York, who represents employees and unions in a wide range of labor and employment matters. Hope provides insight on the...more