Attention California Employers: Screen Your Screening Tools for Compliance with California’s New AI Regulations
Earlier this year, the California Civil Rights Council secured final approval for regulations governing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated-decisions systems (ADS) in employment. The California Civil Rights Department explains that while AI tools bring a myriad of benefits, they can also exacerbate existing biases and contribute to discriminatory outcomes. The regulations seek to address […]
Attention New York Employers: NYC Council’s Pay Data Reporting Bills Have Landed – Get on Deck with Compliance Now
New York City employers may soon see their compliance to-do list grow. The New York City Council recently approved a pair of bills to address pay disparities in the private sector by requiring certain employers to file annual pay data reports – the results of which will be used for a citywide pay equity study. If […]
Attention New York Employers: Expanded Requirements Under NYC Earned Safe and Sick Time on the Horizon – Update Your Playbook Now
On September 25, 2025, the New York City Council approved amendments to the city’s Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA). The legislation – currently pending Mayor Adams’ signature – would incorporate additional qualifying reasons for leave, introduce new leave entitlements, and transfer schedule change obligations from the city’s Temporary Schedule Change Act (TSCA) to the ESSTA. Let’s take a look at what […]
Attention Employers: *Part VII* Timeline of President Trump’s Crusade Against DEI Initiatives in the Private Sector
In our installments of the timeline documenting DEI-related events impacting the private sector, we have been rounding up the latest developments including some public sector developments that provide insight into what may be headed for private sector workplaces. Part VII takes on trending topics such as the government and courts’ stances on religious freedoms and protections, […]
Attention Employers: *Part VI* Timeline of President Trump’s Crusade Against DEI Initiatives in the Private Sector
In the sixth installment of our timelines documenting DEI-related events impacting the private sector, developments reached a feverish pitch as the administration, lawmakers, and courts revisited unresolved issues and confronted new obstacles in the quest to clarify the state of DEI in our nation. This timeline discusses new cases and case updates, agency actions taken to […]
Attention Employers: U.S. Supreme Court Puts an end to Federal District Courts Issuing Nationwide Injunctions on Executive Orders
On June 27, 2025, in Trump, et al. v. CASA, Inc., et al., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal district courts likely do not have the Congressional authority to issue universal – or nationwide – injunctions under the Judiciary Act of 1789. While the decision concerns injunctions issued by district courts in Maryland, California, and Massachusetts […]
2025 Restrictive Covenant Roundup Brings Patchwork of Changes Across the Nation – Here’s What You Need to Know
In April 2024, a Texas federal court blocked the Federal Trade Commission from enforcing its final rule banning new non-compete agreements with nearly all workers (see HERE). Wasting no time, several states filled in the gaps with their own legislation on restrictive covenants. While many of these laws impose new restrictions, some are surprisingly employer-friendly. To navigate the patchwork […]
Attention Employers: Recent Executive Order Issued to Eradicate Disparate Impact Liability-Disparate Impact Claims May Be Down but Not Out
On April 23, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 14281, Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy, which seeks to “eliminate the use of disparate-impact liability in all contexts to the maximum degree possible to avoid violating the Constitution, Federal civil rights laws, and basic American ideals.” Before we delve into the details of the EO, let’s […]
Attention Employers: U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Heightened Evidentiary Requirement for Title VII “Reverse Discrimination” Claims
On June 5, 2025, in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services (No. 23-1039), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that “majority group” plaintiffs are not required to meet a heightened evidentiary standard to prevail on a Title VII claim. This significant decision eliminates the “background circumstances” rule – which imposed a higher burden on plaintiffs to prove “reverse […]
Attention Employers: *Part V* Timeline of President Trump’s Crusade Against DEI Initiatives in the Private Sector
Following up on our timelines documenting DEI-related events impacting the private sector, this fifth installment discusses new developments, including new cases and case updates, activity over at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and other federal agencies, significant wins and losses for DEI-proponents, and a whole lot more! As a reminder, the timelines track […]