The U.S. Department of Labor recently issued new guidance on the federal Family Medical Leave Act that has upended the notion of what qualifies as leave under the statute. Its Wage and Hour Division in February issued a guidance letter…

Emergencies usually happen without notice, but if you have an emergency action plan in place and have trained workers to respond quickly and appropriately, you have a better chance of weathering the event, relieving anxiety – and potentially saving lives.…

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has signaled that it plans to step up enforcement of workplace discrimination for all protected classes, particularly at firms that engage in “systemic” discrimination. Employee and job applicant discrimination complaints filed with the EEOC grew…

Businesses have used non-compete agreements, with varying degrees of success, for years, but the end may be near for these contracts. On Jan. 5, 2023, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission proposed a regulation that would prohibit the use of most…

The National Labor Relations Board has taken a big step in deciding that non-disparagement and confidentiality clauses in employee severance agreements are illegal, a move that will require most employers to rewrite theirs. The board ruled that these provisions stifle…

The stakes for companies who have been hacked are growing with each passing year, and the most common way a business’s database and vital information is exposed is due to employees clicking on malicious e-mail links. Many attempts to get…

As storms and hurricanes cause greater flood damage with each passing year, businesses that are not properly insured could be left paying for damage to their properties out of pocket. Despite flooding events increasing, it’s noteworthy that many companies located…

As businesses use more and more devices in their operations, their vulnerability to cyber attacks increases exponentially. Some employees may have a work smartphone, a laptop for the road and a desktop unit for when they work in the office.…

In the waning days of 2022, Congress passed a bipartisan $1.7-trillion spending bill that includes legislation that expands rights for pregnant and nursing employees. The budget bill, which President Biden has signed into law, included the Pregnant Workers Fair Act…

The ongoing labor shortage affecting the construction industry is leading to increasing exposure for contractors due to a number of risks. Working short-staffed or with employees new to construction can lead to increased workplace injuries, which in turn can result…