Key Legal Updates for Employers: Join Us for Our May Webinar Series
Squire Patton Boggs is hosting a complimentary four‑part webinar series in May for HR leaders, in‑house counsel, and compliance teams. Each one‑hour session, scheduled for the first Thursday of each week, tackles pressing US labor and employment law developments, from state‑level statutory updates to AI governance and internal investigations. Attendees can earn up to 1.0 CLE credit in multiple states, with SHRM and HRCI accreditation pending. The series offers practical compliance guidance from seasoned employment law experts.
California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency’s Proposed PAGA Regulations: What Employers Need to Know (US)
On February 6, 2026 the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency released proposed regulations to refine the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) after the 2024 amendments. The draft rules introduce a standardized notice form, a 33‑day employer response window, and...
Pet Leave on the Horizon? What Employers Should Know (US)
Legislators in Missouri, Illinois and New York have introduced bills that would extend bereavement or sick‑leave benefits to cover companion animals, though none have become law yet. The proposals range from limited paid pet bereavement leave in Missouri to unpaid...
Employment Reform in Motion – Why Additional Time May Not Heal the System
From 1 December Acas extended the early‑conciliation period from six to twelve weeks to ease administrative pressure. However, Acas data for April‑June 2025 shows 68 percent of notifications never progress to an ET1 claim, and tribunals remain back‑logged, with hearings sometimes scheduled years...
Washington State Tells Employers Not to Get Under Their Employees’ Skin: New Law Limits Ability to Microchip Employees (US)
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed HB 2303, prohibiting employers from requiring or coercing employees to receive sub‑skin microchip implants. The law, effective June 11 2026, protects bodily autonomy while still allowing voluntary implantation. Washington joins a growing list of states—Arkansas, California, Missouri and...
Michigan Joins Majority of States in Enacting Anti-SLAPP Law (US)
On March 24, 2026 Michigan enacted its version of an Anti‑SLAPP statute, becoming the 39th state to adopt such protections for speech on matters of public concern. The law allows employees sued for exercising First Amendment rights to move for...
Belgium – Pay Transparency – Flemish Minister Announces Fines for Companies “that Pay Men More than Women”
The Flemish government has approved a draft decree that would fine companies failing to disclose pay information or that discriminate on gender, marking a partial rollout of the EU Pay Transparency Directive. Women in Belgium currently earn about seven percent...
Argentina’s Labor Reform 2026: What Employers Need to Know
On March 6, 2026 Argentina enacted a sweeping Labor Modernization Law that overhauls employment definitions, collective bargaining, and severance rules. The reform narrows the legal definition of employment, excluding freelancers, independent contractors, and platform workers, while granting firms clearer liability...
Sixth Circuit Addresses Arbitrability of Individual Claims in Sexual Assault and Harassment Claims (US)
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Bruce v. Adams and Reese that the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA) bars arbitration of an entire case when any claim involves sexual harassment or assault....
Quick Hits: New York Employment Law Updates (US)
Employers in New York City must now provide 32 hours of unpaid safe and sick leave in addition to existing paid time, with expanded usage categories and no rollover. The state’s Trapped at Work Act, which bans mandatory repayment agreements, has...
What’s Old Is New Again: DOL Proposes to Revert to the 2021 Independent Contractor Framework
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to rescind the 2024 independent‑contractor rule and revert to a modified version of the 2021 framework. The proposal restores a two‑core‑factor analysis—control and opportunity for profit or loss—while...
Clearing the Haze: What Employers Should Expect as Proposed Loosening of Federal Marijuana Regulation Moves Forward (US)
President Trump signed an executive order on Dec. 18, 2025 directing the DOJ to reschedule marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, acknowledging its medical use. The rulemaking process is still pending, so federal drug‑testing obligations remain unchanged for now....
Global Trends in Non-Competes
Non‑compete clauses are facing heightened scrutiny worldwide as governments introduce tighter limits or outright bans. In the United States, several states have restricted use for low‑wage and medical workers, while the FTC pivots to litigation after its 2024 ban was...
When Artificial Intelligence Discriminates: Employer Compliance in the Rise of AI Hiring (US)
Employers are rapidly adopting AI for candidate screening, with 88% of firms using such tools by 2025. A California federal case, *Mobley v. Workday*, alleges that Workday’s AI hiring platform discriminates against African‑American, older, and disabled applicants. The court granted...
The New Wage Rule and the $100K Proclamation Will Shape the 2026 H‑1B Cap Season
USCIS opened the FY 2027 H‑1B cap registration window for March 4‑19, 2026, requiring online registration and a $215 fee per entry. The season will be dominated by a new wage‑weighted lottery that assigns multiple entries to higher wage levels (Level II‑IV) versus a...