Remote Work and Religion: New Legal Risks for Employers in 2025 - #WorkforceWednesday® - Employment Law This Week®
The New DEI Crackdown: What Federal Contractors Must Do Now - On March 26, 2026, the Trump Administration issued a sweeping Executive Order targeting DEI policies, alongside DOJ’s plan to use the False Claims Act (FCA) to...more
In 2026, managing employees can feel a bit like being an air traffic controller. Some employees are coming and going for medical appointments, others want to stay “in the clouds” working remotely, and employers are trying to...more
Many employers value at least some amount of in-person work and collaboration. So, what are the options for employers faced with requests from employees asking for exemptions from in-person work policies? ...more
In response to President Trump’s directive that executive agencies return to work in-person, on a full-time basis, as “consistent with applicable law,” the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of...more
At the end of January, the Trump administration issued a presidential memorandum requiring all departments and agencies in the executive branch to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to return to work in...more
Calling the proposal “unprecedented in its scope and lack of specificity,” CVS Health—owner of Aetna—is among a chorus of firms and organizations opposing a renewed effort by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to...more
On February 11, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued new guidance addressing telework accommodations in the federal sector. Although formally directed at...more
On February 11, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), working with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”), issued new guidance titled “Frequently Asked Questions from the Federal Sector about...more
The question of how to return to or maintain in-person work while satisfying legal accommodation obligations for disabled employees is one federal agencies and many private employers have faced. The Equal Employment...more
The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that it finalized a new rule establishing a new category of federal employee, designated “Schedule Policy/Career,” for high-ranking career employees in confidential,...more
President Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, on November 12, 2025. In addition to providing a legal basis to end...more
Imposes a government-wide freeze on civilian hiring across all executive departments and agencies, except for positions tied to national security, immigration enforcement, and public safety. Requires agencies to establish...more
The US government shutdown began on October 1, 2025, with a resolution hinging on Senate passage of a House-approved funding bill. The shutdown is causing federal job cuts, funding freezes, and missed pay for federal workers,...more
Over the summer, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) formally unveiled a website that will help corporations, trade associations, membership organizations, and lobbying firms navigate the twists and turns of the Lobbying...more
This week, we analyze how a new U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) memo for federal workers, combined with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Groff v. DeJoy, is creating new compliance challenges at the intersection...more
Regulators and courts in both the U.S. and UK have been seeking to navigate the complex balance between employees’ rights to religious expression and employers’ interests. In particular, recent developments—namely, two U.S....more
DOD Push for Commercial Item and Service Contracting Increases Defense Contracting Opportunities - PilieroMazza recently highlighted a Department of Defense (DOD) memo (linked here) requiring DOD Components to adopt the...more
Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report: Whistleblowers, VA Should Assess Data and Monitor Settlement Agreements to Better Ensure Protections - On July 31, GAO released a report reviewing the characteristics of VA...more
On July 28, 2025, the United States Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”) issued a memorandum endorsing federal employees expressing their religious beliefs in the workplace. Specifically, OPM Director Scott Kupor instructed...more
In July 2025, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued two important memos regarding religious accommodations and religious expression in federal workplaces. ...more
Establishes Schedule G within the excepted service to cover noncareer, policymaking or policy-advocating positions that are normally subject to change with a presidential transition. The Director of the Office of Personnel...more
Through October 15, 2025, all executive departments and agencies are prohibited from filling vacant federal civilian positions or creating new ones unless exempted by law or approved under a limited review process...more
By Executive Order dated March 27, 2025, entitled, “Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs,” President Trump moved to end collective bargaining with unions at 18 federal agencies and urged them to void...more
In the first two months of President Trump’s second term, his administration has sought to redefine “illegal” diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (“DEIA”) programs....more