In a recent published decision, the California Court of Appeal delivered a blow to plaintiffs seeking to avoid arbitration of claims under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) by concluding that all PAGA actions, however framed, necessarily include individual and
Employment Law Watch
Analysis and commentary by Reed Smith attorneys on developments in employment and labor law
Latest from Employment Law Watch - Page 2
Neonatal care leave and pay: what UK employers need to know about the new statutory right
From 6 April 2025, new rules will give eligible employees a statutory right to paid time off if their baby requires neonatal care. This time off is in addition to their other statutory rights, such as maternity, paternity, adoption and…
Anticipating President Trump’s impact on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

As the Trump administration continues to swiftly issue executive orders and take other actions to implement President Trump’s agenda, employers should stay tuned as the administration’s actions may soon implicate the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA).
By way of…
Key workplace changes for Illinois employers in 2025
Increases to minimum wage
Effective January 1, 2025, the minimum wage rate in Illinois increased by $1 per hour from $14.00 to $15.00. The minimum wage for tipped workers and youth workers (under 18) working fewer than 650 hours per…
Analyzing President Trump’s executive orders on harassment: Implications and reactions
On December 13, 2024, we wrote on several policies implemented by the Biden administration that were likely to be rolled back, qualified, or reversed entirely once Donald Trump officially took office. On January 20, 2025, the day of President Trump’s…
Immigration enforcement underway: Preparing for I-9 inspections and site visits
In the last week, the Trump Administration issued numerous executive orders related to immigration policy. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and other authorized agencies will likely initiate more administrative inspections (i.e., inspections of Form…
Analyzing President Trump’s executive orders on DEI: Implications and reactions

In only his first week in office, Trump has already dismantled DEI programs within the government, revoked a 60-year old order requiring federal contractors to develop affirmative action programs, and signaled to private-sector employers that their DEI programs are next. …
Labor mobility remains in the limelight – FTC and DOJ take another swing at regulating the U.S. workplace
Over the past several years, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has made several attempts to regulate the U.S. workplace. This includes, perhaps most notably, the FTC’s May 2024 rule attempting to ban virtually all existing and future non-compete agreements nationwide…
U.S. Supreme Court resolves circuit split on burden of proof dispute for FLSA exemptions
On January 15, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Fourth Circuit’s decision in E.M.D. Sale, Inc. v. Carrera, and ruled that the “preponderance of evidence” standard, and not the higher “clear and convincing evidence” standard favored by the Fourth…
How U.S. employers can support their workforces during the Southern California wildfires

On January 8, 2025, California received a Major Disaster Declaration for the ongoing Southern California wildfires. As the devastating wildfires continue to rage across the Los Angeles area, employers may be wondering how they can support their Southern California workforces…