An applicant who alleged Sirius XM’s hiring software repeatedly screened him out because he’s Black recently had his complaint dismissed – for now. A federal judge in Michigan dismissed the complaint without prejudice on Sept. 30, 2026, finding that the…
On Oct. 13, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Merritt v. Texas Farm Bureau. The denial leaves in place a Fifth Circuit ruling that a company owed no overtime pay to a misclassified worker because it didn’t know he…
Starting Jan. 1, 2027, New Jersey’s minimum wage for most workers rises 56 cents to $16.48 an hour. The state Department of Labor and Workforce Development sets the rate each year based on Consumer Price Index increases, as required by…
Massachusetts recently updated its paid family and medical leave contribution guidance after passing Chapter 101 of the Acts of 2026. The changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The law shifts employer contributions from medical leave to family leave to mitigate…
SHRM has been found liable for failing to accommodate a job applicant who uses a service dog to manage Type 1 diabetes – a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state law. On Oct. 9, a…
On Oct. 1, 2026, California’s Labor Commissioner’s Office (LCO), along with state and local enforcement partners, announced a $272.5 million settlement with Lyft. It resolves a misclassification dispute alleging that Lyft treated California drivers as independent contractors. The agreement is…
Payroll teams in California have a new pay data reporting penalty to keep on their radar. On Sept. 30, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 1237. The new legislation raises the maximum penalty for a subsequent failure to file a required…
Program Summary In our interactive instructor-led 60-minute event, you will learn a practical framework for preventing one of the most common and most misunderstood claims in employment law: retaliation. It is the most frequently alleged basis in EEOC charges, and…
With Election Day coming Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, now’s a good time for payroll teams to review state voting leave requirements – before you start getting time-off requests. Four states show why a single companywide policy may not be enough.…
A pizza delivery driver’s challenge to a 35-cent-per-mile reimbursement rate is back before a federal court in Colorado, reminding employers that mileage reimbursements can create wage-and-hour exposure. The Tenth Circuit revived the driver's complaint against a Papa John’s franchise operator,…
DoorDash will pay $131.5 million to resolve New York City findings that it failed to pay delivery workers fully or on time and violated the city’s minimum-pay requirements. The nine-figure worker settlement – the largest in NYC history and the…
Under a proposal from the Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon employers would pay an average of 92 cents per $100 of payroll for workers’ compensation coverage in 2027. The proposed average pure premium rate would increase 2.1%, while…
Informal cash-pay practices leave wage payments and hours worked outside normal payroll controls -- and that can be an expensive mistake. Case in point: A Washington state court ordered Alan Tagle and Tagle & Partners LLC to pay $1.86 million…
The Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division recovered more than $259 million in back wages for nearly 177,000 employees in fiscal year 2025, the most since 2019. The lion’s share – more than $184 million – involved violations of…
A policy rollout usually feels finished the day attestation hits 100%. The handbook is updated, the acknowledgment form is signed and HR moves on to the next priority. Then, a few months later, a supervisor handles a situation the old…
How much might an employer have to pay when it fails to reinstate striking employees? NLRB Region 6 has approved a $3.66 million settlement with Langeloth Metallurgical Co. It resolves allegations that the company failed to reinstate, or delayed reinstating,…
