Whether and how transgender women may participate in women’s collegiate sports remains one of the most closely watched issues in the country. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia’s September 2025 decision in Gaines v. National Collegiate Athletic Association—a case brought by former University of Kentucky swimmer
California 2025 Legislative Rundown: Key Changes Coming for Employers
Prior to a deadline of October 13, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed several bills into law impacting employers’ compliance obligations regarding pay transparency, workplace notices, pay data reporting, paid family leave, tip theft, and more. At the same time, Governor Newsom vetoed a few closely watched bills, including those
Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Focus, Part I: Practical Data Rights Request Compliance Tips for U.S. Privacy Leaders
As the dust settles around the latest round of U.S. comprehensive state privacy laws that took effect in 2025, HR and business leaders in the United States may face new or heightened compliance obligations, including for data subject rights requests. Although the right to access data is only one of
Website Tracker Litigation Continues to Pose Compliance Headache: Updates on CIPA and Related Litigation
Plaintiffs’ attorneys have been relentlessly targeting companies that deploy common website tracking tools with demand letters, arbitration, and litigation arguing that their use of chatbots, analytics, and targeted advertising tools violate applicable privacy laws, including but not limited to the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA). This trend has shown
Cut the AI Bait-and-Switch: Tips for Employers to Spot Fake Job Applicants
As deepfake tools and voice cloning become cheaper and more convincing, employers are increasingly encountering a troubling trend: fraudsters using artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake appearances, voices, or profiles to land remote jobs. In addition to the risk of hiring unqualified applicants, the practice raises significant concerns about individuals
OMB Extends Deadlines on Race/Ethnicity Data Overhaul
On September 26, 2025, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) extended two timelines under Statistical Policy Directive No. 15 (SPD 15): Standards for Maintaining, Collecting, and Presenting Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity.
In 2024, OMB issued updates to the race and ethnicity categories that are used
November 2025 Visa Bulletin Holds Steady for Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Categories
The U.S. Department of State’s November 2025 Visa Bulletin shows no changes as compared to the October 2025 Visa Bulletin in the Dates for Filing chart and the Final Action Dates chart for all listed categories. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will continue to accept employment-based
California Finalizes Groundbreaking Regulations on AI, Risk Assessments, and Cybersecurity, Part III: Risk Assessments
On September 23, 2025, the California Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved regulations under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) that specifically address the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decisionmaking technologies (ADMTs), requirements for completing risk assessments, and annual cybersecurity audits. This article is the third and final
Reassigned … and Ready to Sue? Fourth Circuit Ruling May Open the Door to More Discrimination Claims by Employees
Following the Supreme Court of the United States’ April 2024 ruling in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, employers have grappled with determining what constitutes an adverse employment action that will support a claim under federal antidiscrimination laws. A recent decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth
California Court of Appeal Upholds Wrongful Discharge Claim Over Polygraph Testing
The California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, recently issued a significant decision in McDoniel v. Kavry Management, LLC, holding that an employer’s violation of Labor Code section 432.2—California’s prohibition on mandatory polygraph testing—can support a wrongful discharge claim in violation of public policy. The court’s opinion serves as an
New York City Council Passes Bill That Would Expand Safe and Sick Leave Requirements
On September 25, 2025, the New York City Council sent to the mayor a bill (Int. No. 0780-2024) that would amend the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA) to incorporate the requirements under the New York City Temporary Schedule Change Law. The bill provides additional covered reasons to take
Beltway Buzz, October 17, 2025
The Beltway Buzz™ is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C., could impact your business.
Trump Administration to Rescind Biden-Era Independent Contractor Rule—What Could a New Rule Look Like?
The Trump administration is poised to formally rescind the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Biden-era rule for classifying workers as independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), after the DOL’s pronouncement that it would no longer enforce the rule. The move would open the door to a potential
New York City Council Employer Pay Data Reporting Requirement Bills Await Mayor’s Signature
On October 9, 2025, the New York City Council passed two bills (Int. No. 0982-2024 and Int. No. 0984-2024) that if enacted into law would require New York City employers with 200 or more employees to annually submit pay reports for their New York City employees. The proposed report format
OSHA and OSHRC in Transition, Part I: Early and Evolving Constitutional Challenges
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) emerged from the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to address widespread concerns about workplace safety. The statute reflects a deliberate structural choice: OSHA operates within the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) as