On January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued Notice of Proposed Rulemaking announcing that it was proposing an administrative rule that would end the use of all noncompetition agreements in employment relationships outside the context of the sale of a business. The proposed rule, among other things, labels the following as unfair methods

Also included in the omnibus spending bill are expanded accommodations for women that need to express breast milk in the workplace.  The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act or the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act expands the federal workplace protections for women with a need to express breast milk passed in 2010

Several provisions of the $1.7 trillion, 4,400-page Omnibus spending bill passed by Congress and expected to be signed by the President, are additional employment protections for pregnant women.  Today we cover the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA” or “Act”) that requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to women with limitations caused by pregnancy, childbirth,

President Biden recently signed the Speak Out Act, the latest in a set of bills focusing on workplace sexual harassment and sexual assault. According to the legislative findings of the Act, 81% of women and 43% of men have experienced some form of sexual harassment or sexual assault throughout their lifetime, one in three

On March 3, 2022, the President signed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act of 2021 (“Act”).  The new law amends the Federal Arbitration Act to prohibit the enforceability of mandatory, predispute arbitration agreements and class action waivers of sexual assault and sexual harassment disputes.  The passage of the law comes

Effective September 1, 2021, a pair of bills passed by the Texas Legislature will expand the scope of employer liability for claims of sexual harassment.  The bill makes four important amendments to the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (“Act”).

First the amendment defines what constitutes sexual harassment under state law.  Sexual harassment means an

On March 27, 2020, Congress passed and the President signed, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Act appropriated $2 Trillion to preserve and stimulate the U.S. economy during the Coronavirus crisis. In addition to important economic relief provided to individual tax payers and government backed loans and grants to especially hard

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act that provides emergency paid leave and expanded FMLA rights to employees of small and mid-sized employers requires covered employer to post notice of rights and responsibilities under the Act in the workplace.  The U.S. DOL has posted model posters employers can use and post in conspicuous places where employees

On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Corona Virus Response Act.  The Families First Act requires small and midsized employers to provide paid sick leave benefits and expanded FMLA leave to employees needing time away from work due to COVID-19 reasons.  While the Act provide others benefits, the FMLA Expansion Act and