A U.S. appeals court on Thursday placed a brief pause on a judge’s ruling that had blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from stripping hundreds of thousands of federal workers of the ability to engage in union bargaining with U.S. agencies.
Archives for July 2025
What Creates an Effective Movement?
Power comes from the people – and U.S. history is replete with grassroots social movements that shaped the nation. But what makes an effective movement? There are lessons in Linda Gordon’s newest book, Seven Social Movements that Changed America.
Use These 11 Guidelines to Decide When to Bend the Rules for Employees
Tennis player Ben Shelton wanted his sister to be there at Wimbledon, and her company, Morgan Stanley, said yes. Good or bad exception?
New Data Shows Workers Are Mostly Ignoring Return to Office Orders
Bosses are ordering workers to return to the office, but according to new Stanford data many employees are replying with a flat no.
Employers Warned Against Citizenship and National Origin Bias
Employers must avoid discrimination based on citizenship or national origin when hiring or verifying work eligibility. Missteps can lead to legal penalties.
You cried at work. Now what?
Crying at work is not a character flaw.
Always putting out fires at work? Here’s how to interrupt the cycle
There’s crisis management, and then there’s crisis hunting. It’s time to stop the causes of crises instead of managing the chaos.
California CRD Publishes Notice and FAQs on Rights for Violence Survivors and Family Members
On July 1, 2025, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) published a “Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims Right to Leave and Accommodations” notice. The CRD also published guidance in the form of frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the notice requirements. Both documents are available on the CRD
Senate HELP committee shares health and retirement plan legislative priorities
A recent NAPA article notes key priorities of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), now chaired by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA). Cassidy and ranking member Bernie…
Puerto Rico Prohibits Discrimination Against Breastfeeding Mothers in the Workplace
Puerto Rico Prohibits Discrimination Against Breastfeeding Mothers in the Workplace
Puerto Rico Governor Jeniffer González has signed Act No. 29-2025 into law, modifying the Act to Regulate the Breastfeeding or Breast Milk Extraction Period, as amended (“Act 427-2000”), which provides certain nursing employees the right to time off to express
Third Circuit Affirms NLRB’s Totality of the Evidence Test in Finding that a Single Employee’s Conduct Constituted Protected Concerted Activity
Third Circuit Affirms NLRB’s Totality of the Evidence Test in Finding that a Single Employee’s Conduct Constituted Protected Concerted Activity
On June 23, 2025, in Miller Plastic Products Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board, the Third Circuit ruled that substantial evidence supported the Board’s determination that a single employee’s conduct
Puerto Rico Supreme Court Reaffirms Importance of Just Cause for Employee Terminations
TakeawaysIn the wrongful discharge case of Méndez Ruiz v. Techno Plastics Industries, Inc., the Court found an employee’s exhaustion of the 12-month Workers’ Compensation leave is not automatic grounds for a just cause termination.Puerto Rico does not recognize employment-at-will.Just cause analysis is necessary for terminations in Puerto Rico.Related link
We get Privacy for work: The Privacy Pitfalls of a Remote Workforce
Remote work has given employers and employees pathbreaking flexibility, but it has also raised a host of data and employee privacy concerns.
2024 HIPAA Reproductive Health Privacy Rule Vacated
In 2024, under the Biden Administration, the Department of Health & Human Services (“HHS”) issued the 2024 Reproductive Health Privacy Rule (the “2024 Final Rule”), modifying parts of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”).
United States v. Skrmetti: U.S. Supreme Court Rules on Tennessee Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
On June 18, 2025, in United States v. Skrmetti, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s Senate Bill 1 (the “Bill”), which bans gender-affirming medical treatments, such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries, for minors. In a 6-3 decision, the Court concluded that the Bill survives the rational-basis review under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and clarified that it does not constitute impermissible sex discrimination, as further detailed below. This article primarily focuses on the significance of this ruling to employers who offer health and welfare plans; however, its ripple effects extend to medical treatment in other aspects as well, which is beyond the scope of this article.