GLP-1 medications have quickly become a significant cost driver in employer-sponsored health plans, with annual per-participant costs frequently exceeding $10,000 and utilization rates continuing to rise. The GLP-1 landscape continues to change (for example, in December 2025, the U.S. Food
Employers are facing renewed uncertainty about workplace protections for gender identity after federal agency guidance was recently withdrawn. On January 22, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted 2-1 to rescind its 2024 Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the
As the No Surprises Act (NSA) enters 2026, federal agencies are expected to focus on three key issues: finalizing delayed rulemaking, issuing guidance to address operational challenges in the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process, and managing enforcement discretion amid ongoing
Understanding joint employer liability is critical for companies in the franchise sector, as it directly impacts risk management and compliance. If the American Franchise Act (AFA) were enacted, it would provide significant guidance to franchisors and franchisees regarding the circumstances
The Department of Justice (DOJ) released its annual False Claims Act (FCA) enforcement statistics on January 16, 2026. The DOJ announced a record level of recoveries from FCA resolutions in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 (ending Sept. 30, 2025), which exceeded
With the start of the new year, California Assembly Bill 692 (AB 692) is now in effect, introducing sweeping new restrictions on employment agreements that include so-called “stay-or-pay” provisions — terms requiring employees to repay money or incur financial consequences
Late last year, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury (collectively, the Departments) provided long-awaited guidance clarifying two new ways — in addition to the already-existing mechanisms — for employers to expand fertility benefit offerings. The Departments
The United States Department of Labor (DOL) just rang in 2026 with six new opinion letters addressing various employer practices under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The letters cover a broad
The much-anticipated appellate showdown regarding the constitutionality of the whistleblower (or qui tam) provision of the federal False Claims Act (FCA) took place before a three-judge panel of the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (Judge Elizabeth L. Branch, Judge Robert
In a landmark agreement, Starbucks Corporation has agreed to pay nearly $39 million to resolve allegations that it violated New York City’s Fair Workweek Law, sending a powerful message to employers nationwide about the risks of ignoring local predictive scheduling
