On Thursday, October 29, 2026, the US Department of Labor finalized a pharmacy benefit manager transparency rule, which is required reading for all employers that sponsor group health plans.
What the Final Rule Requires
Under the rule, pharmacy
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Massachusetts Highest Court Holds that Employer Seeking Preliminary Injunction Must Establish “Specific Proof” of Irreparable Harm
The highest court in Massachusetts recently ruled in Daikin Applied Americas Inc. v. Russo that employers seeking a preliminary injunction to stop former employees from misappropriating the employer’s confidential information and/or trade secrets must independently show that the employer will
Employer Wins 401(k) Stable Value Fund Lawsuit
On October 23, 2026, a federal court in Dallas, Texas, threw out a lawsuit against EssilorLuxottica USA Inc. The case is called Eibensteiner v. EssilorLuxottica USA Inc.
What Happened?
Workers said the people in charge of the company’s 401(k) plan
“Americans Need Not Apply”? Federal Agencies Say Not So Fast
The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and EEOC recently settled with Cloudera Inc. and Maplebear Inc., which does business as Instacart.
The government alleged that both companies discriminated against U.S. workers during Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) recruitment in favor of workers
New Personnel Record Requirements for New York Employers
Beginning November 8, 2026, employers with New York employees will face new requirements for personnel records, including employee access, notice and retention obligations.
New Access and Notice Requirements
Employees may request a copy of their personnel record in writing, and
Federal Appeals Court Holds Pre-Shift Waiting Time Compensable When Employees Cannot Start Work
A federal appeals court ruled on October 13, 2026 that an employer has to pay for time an employee spends waiting when the employer told that person to be at work at a set time ready to go and then,
Employees Can Now Skip their Plans’ Internal Appeals Process for Certain ERISA Claims
If you run a retirement plan, a health plan, or work as a third party administrator, a new court ruling could change how lawsuits against your plan are handled.
What Happened?
In Rani Bolton v. Inland Fresh Seafood Corporation of
California Pushes Back Its Stay-or-Pay Ban to 2027 and Widens the Bonus Exception
California’s stay-or-pay law originally took effect on January 1, 2026, but on September 30, 2026, California amended the legislation and pushed the effective date to January 1, 2027.
California’s New AI Laws and the Workplace
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a series of bills intended to protect workers from the impact of AI, automated technologies, and AI-assisted surveillance.
The legislation follows the Governor’s Executive Order issued in May 2026, which established a policy framework
Second Circuit Rules that EFAA Invalidates Arbitration of Non-Harassment Claims in Harassment Cases
The Second Circuit Court of Appeals recently held that when the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (EFAA) applies to at least one claim in an employee’s lawsuit, the EFAA invalidates a pre-dispute arbitration agreement as