Maine Enacts New Pay Transparency and Recordkeeping Requirements

Effective July 13, 2026, Maine has enacted House Bill 18, expanding employer obligations related to pay transparency and compensation recordkeeping. The law creates a new section, 26 M.R.S.A. § 622‑A, requiring greater disclosure of pay ranges in job postings and ... Read More

U.S. Department of Labor Proposes Unified Federal Standard for Joint Employer Status

Recently, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) announced a proposed rule to clarify joint employer status under three major federal labor statutes: the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and ... Read More

Virginia Passes Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

Virginia has enacted Senate Bill 2, landmark legislation establishing a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) insurance program administered by the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC). The law guarantees eligible working Virginians the right to take up to 12 weeks ... Read More

OSHA Updates National Emphasis Program on Heat Hazards, Expanding Targeted Enforcement and Outreach

On April 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a significant update to its National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Outdoor and Indoor Heat‑Related Hazards, originally issued in April 2022. The revised NEP is ... Read More

Idaho Enacts “Merit‑Based Health Care Act” Imposing New Limits on DEI Practices in Medicaid‑Funded Health Care

Effective July 1, 2026, Idaho House Bill 928, titled the Merit‑Based Health Care Act, establishes new requirements for health care providers that participate in Idaho’s Medicaid program. The law conditions participation in Medicaid on the requirement that employment, contracting, and ... Read More

Virginia Enacts Additional Restrictions on Noncompete Agreements

Effective July 1, 2026, Virginia Senate Bill 170 further limits when employers may enforce covenants not to compete against workers, expanding Virginia’s already restrictive noncompete framework. The new law not only reinforces existing protections for low‑wage employees, but it also ... Read More

Maine Enacts New Investigatory and Enforcement Powers for Bureau of Labor Standards

Maine has enacted LD 1587 (HP 1045), titled An Act to Clarify the Bureau of Labor Standards’ Investigatory and Enforcement Procedures, significantly expanding the authority of the Director of the Bureau of Labor Standards (BLS) to investigate, penalize, and collect ... Read More

Virginia Enacts New Protections for Employees Serving as Volunteer Emergency Responders

Virginia has enacted a new employment law protection by adding § 40.1‑27.5 to the Code of Virginia, which prohibits retaliation against employees who miss work to serve as volunteer emergency responders. The law applies to employees who are active members ... Read More

Virginia Enacts Minimum Wage Reforms Affecting Wage Rates and Farmworker Coverage

Virginia has enacted three interrelated pieces of legislation—House Bill 1 (HB 1), House Bill 20 (HB 20), and Senate Bill 121 (SB 121)—that together reshape the Commonwealth’s minimum wage framework. These laws both revise the schedule and amounts of future ... Read More

Oregon Expands Criminal Liability for Labor and Construction Contractors

Oregon House Bill 4089, effective January 1, 2027, makes changes to the state’s criminal enforcement framework governing wage theft, contractor licensing, and labor contracting practices in the construction industry. Most notably, the law expands Oregon’s theft of services statute to ... Read More

Executive Order Targets “Racially Discriminatory” DEI Practices in Federal Contracting

On March 26, 2026, President Trump issued a new Executive Order entitled Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors, reinforcing the Administration’s approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The Order declares it the policy of the United States to promote ... Read More

Washington Bars Employer‑Driven Microchip Implants

Washington has enacted House Bill 2303, a statute designed to draw a bright line around employee bodily autonomy and workplace privacy. The new law, effective June 11, 2026, prohibits employers from engaging in any practice that pressures workers—directly or indirectly—to ... Read More