Federal Employment Law Articles

Policy Week in Review – June 18, 2026 DOL Goes After Unemployment Insurance Fraud, Putting Governors on Notice tgelbman@littler.com Thu, 06/18/2026 - 12:17

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA), which would require strict deadlines for commencing collective bargaining and mandatory arbitration for employers negotiating with unions for initial collective bargaining agreements. After passing with a bipartisan 230-193 House vote, the bill heads to the Senate, where its corresponding version has Democratic and Republican co-sponsors. If passed and enacted, the FLCA would require employers to begin negotiations …

To maximize the chances of having a summary judgment victory affirmed on appeal, defense lawyers must make the correct evidentiary objections in the trial court. Two traps for the unwary lurk in the temptation to object that the plaintiff’s evidence is “self-serving” or “inadmissible.”

Canada: Big Changes for PEI Workplaces – Inside the New Employment Standards Act Prince Edward Island’s (PEI) Bill 76, which replaces the province’s existing Employment Standards Act (ESA), received Royal Assent in November 2024 and has been proclaimed into force as of June 30, 2026 . While the new legislation introduces numerous changes, employers should take note of the following key updates: Working Hours, Scheduling, and Overtime tgelbman@littler.com Thu, 06/18/2026 - 14:18

Government contractors and recipients of federal financial assistance are once again seeing agencies revisit guidance documents as part of broader efforts to reduce administrative requirements for regulated entities. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has withdrawn Circular 4704.1A, its Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) requirements and guidelines for recipients of FTA financial assistance. The withdrawal took effect May 20, 2026. The now-withdrawn guidance applied to certain FTA applica…

A judge for the Business Court of Texas recently weighed in on the growing issue of whether non-lawyers’ “chats” with publicly available generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools or large language models (LLM) are protected attorney work product, denying a defendant’s demand that a plaintiff turn over certain conversations with an AI tool under the attorney work-product protection.

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.

The U.S. Department of State’s July 2026 Visa Bulletin shows that visas are unavailable for the India EB-2 category and mixed movement from the June 2026 Visa Bulletin in other categories.

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.

On June 12, 2026, the International Labour Conference adopted the Convention Concerning Decent Work in the Platform Economy (No. 193) , the first international labor standard specifically designed for platform and gig economy work. This matters even for companies that do not consider themselves “platform operators.”

Companies with twenty or more employees in Ontario must file an accessibility compliance report under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) by December 31, 2026.

In this installment of our Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2026 podcast series, shareholders Tina Bengs (Chicago/Indianapolis), Joseph Cartafalsa (New York), and Michael Riccobono (Morristown) walk through a comprehensive compliance checklist covering mandatory leave and accommodation obligations for disability, pregnancy, and religion, along with family and medical leave laws. The speakers also address how to navigate ERISA, […]

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Samantha Duncan (Washington) and Justin Tarka (London) tackle the UK’s Employment Rights Act 2025, the most sweeping overhaul of British employment law in decades, with changes rolling out across 2026 and into early 2027. The speakers walk global employers through the staggered timeline, from February’s industrial […]

Canada: Manitoba Establishes New Parental Attachment Leave and Restricts Employer-Required Sick Notes On June 1, 2026, Manitoba Bills 10 and 11 received Royal Assent. These bills amend the province’s Employment Standards Code (ESC) to provide leave for employees following an adoption or surrogacy, and to clarify when, and on what terms, an employer can require a sick note for illness and injury. Bill 10: Attachment Leave for Adoption and Surrogacy (in force June 1, 2026) tgelbman@littler.com Fr…

Labor & Employment World Cup 2026: Team Belgium Ready for Play in Seattle Kickoff: Getting to Know the Belgian National Team Belgium arrives in Seattle carrying the momentum from what its supporters consider the defining era of Belgian football. The 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia stands as the proudest moment in the history of Belgium’s Red Devils: an achievement built on brilliance, resilience, and unforgettable football. tgelbman@littler.com Fri, 06/12/2026 - 08:08

TakeawaysThe risk of FCA retaliation complaint is rising as courts broadly interpret protected activity (including internal complaints), heightening employer exposure and underscoring the need for strong compliance and anti-retaliation programs.The first 72 hours after a complaint are critical. Employers should separate investigations from employment decisions, assign roles early, preserve evidence, and assess timing and comparators to reduce litigation risk.Recent case law reinforces the impor…

Policy Week in Review – June 12, 2026 House Passes Union-Backed Faster Labor Contracts Act tgelbman@littler.com Fri, 06/12/2026 - 08:35

TakeawaysLegislation in Italy, Lithuania and Slovakia transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive show core alignment but meaningful country-specific differences, with Italy and Slovakia moving from policy discussions to enforceable pay transparency obligations.Employers face expanded obligations, including pay transparency in recruitment, responding to employee pay information requests, implementing objective, gender-neutral pay structures, and preparing for reporting and potential pay gap s…

From time to time, HR hears a familiar complaint: “Employees are speaking another language, and it’s making others uncomfortable.” The impulse to step in is understandable. But in California, restricting language use at work is one

Soccer fans may notice something different about the matches at the 2026 World Cup (June 11, 2026–July 19, 2026), as FIFA has mandated three-minute water breaks midway through each half of each match due to the heat and humidity of summer weather in host cities in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. These so-called hydration breaks may also serve as a reminder of U.S. employers' obligations to protect against heat illness.