On April 7, 2025, New Mexico became the third state to legalize psilocybin (colloquially known as “magic mushrooms” or “shrooms”) for medical purposes. New Mexico is the first state to legalize psilocybin via legislation and not a ballot initiative, like its predecessors Colorado and Oregon.
Archives for May 21, 2025
Maryland Clarifies Parental Leave Law: FMLA-Covered Employers Now Exempt
Takeaways:
Starting October 1, 2025, Maryland employers who are covered by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are no longer required to comply with the state’s unpaid parental leave law. Senate Bill 785 changes the definition of “employer” under Maryland’s Parental Leave Act to exclude
H-1B Lottery Registrations Decline to Four-Year Low
For the second consecutive year, there has been a decline in H-1B lottery registrations according to data published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
Employers submitted approximately 344,000 registrations this year, down 26 percent from last year and the lowest number of registrations in four years. The number
Employee Complaint Rights: Update on Executive Order 13496 Compliance
Executive Order (E.O.) 13496, signed on January 30, 2009, mandates that certain government contractors and subcontractors post notices informing their employees of their rights under federal labor laws. This executive order applies to all government contracts, except for collective bargaining agreements and contracts for purchases under the Simplified Acquisition Threshold.
2025 Enforcement Trends: Risk Analysis Failures at the Center of HHS’s Multimillion-Dollar HIPAA Penalties
In the first five months of 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced it had entered into ten Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) resolution agreements reflecting the settlement of alleged HIPAA violations stemming from data breaches reported to OCR.
EEOC Acting Director Warns No ‘Diversity Exception’ to Title VII in Announcing EEO-1 Reporting Period Opening
On May 20, 2025, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) opened the platform for employers to submit EEO-1 reports. In doing so, EEOC Acting Director Andrea Lucas warned employers not to use the data to take employment actions and reinforced earlier technical assistance that diversity, equity, or inclusion (DEI)
New York State Limits Damages in Pay Frequency Claims
New York Labor Law (NYLL) Section 191 mandates that employers pay employees their wages within a certain frequency depending on the classification of employees. For employees that meet the definition of a “manual worker,” the law requires payment of wages “weekly and not later than seven calendar days after the end of the week in which the wages are earned.”
Goldberg Segalla Secures Dismissal of Sweeping Lawsuit against Dialysis Center
Charles Lazo recently won full dismissal of a lawsuit brought by a disgruntled patient against a dialysis center represented by our firm.
What IS the Private Attorneys General Act? – Workplace Wake-Up with Jen Shaw
In this episode, Jen summarizes the Private Attorneys General Act and its role in wage-hour claims.
AI in the workplace is nearly 3 times more likely to take a woman’s job as a man’s, UN report finds
The gender split could be one reason men feel much more confident that “if they use AI, they’ll still get all the benefits,” a Harvard Business School professor said.
‘Pronoun Police:’ New Uncertainty After EEOC Workplace Rules Struck Down
Everyday workplace issues for transgender employees, such as ‘misgendering’ and choice of bathrooms, will be an unsettled area of law until a higher court weighs in, some attorneys say.
Employers Are Obligated to Comply with Tax Law Despite Increase in Frivolous Tax Arguments
Employers Are Obligated to Comply with Tax Law Despite Increase in Frivolous Tax Arguments
In the recent United States Tax Court case O’Connor v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, Judge Arbeit sanctioned the petitioner for advancing frivolous arguments contesting the authority of the IRS to assess tax.1
tgelbman@littler.com Tue, 05/20/2025 –
Live from Workplace Horizons 2025 – From ADA to Title VII: Trending Issues in Accommodating Employees
Welcome to a special edition of We get work®, recorded live from Workplace Horizons 2025 in New York City, Jackson Lewis’s annual Labor and Employment Law Conference. Over 500 representatives from 260 companies gathered together to share valuable insights and best practices on workplace law issues impacting their business today. Here’s your personal invitation to get the insights from the conference, delivered directly to you.
California Announces Investigative Sweep of Location Data Industry
On March 10, 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced an investigative sweep targeting the location data industry, emphasizing compliance
Mass Arbitration Rules Under Scrutiny as Live Nation Asks SCOTUS to Overturn Heckman
Live Nation’s petition to overturn the Ninth Circuit’s Heckman decision highlights the importance of allowing parties to develop arbitration procedures tailored to mass arbitration.Heckman casts a shadow on attempts by arbitration services and companies to design rules needed to address the challenges and complexities of mass arbitration proceedings brought by consumers and employees.Until the Supreme Court weighs in, companies should exercise increased caution in drafting arbitration agreements with mass arbitration pro