FMLA Intermittent Leave: 8 Questions HR Asks Most
Partial days, doctor’s notes, late arrivals. If intermittent FMLA leave keeps you guessing, these eight answers can help clear things up for HR.
Employment Law
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Unpaid Pre-Shift Work Costs New Jersey Employer $725K
A New Jersey drywall installer must pay $725,000 after failing to pay 48 workers overtime for pre-shift work performed while they waited for transportation to job sites. The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division found P & B Partitions Inc. violated the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime rules. The company also refused […]
Connecticut Joins States Regulating Workplace AI: 7 Compliance Steps
Connecticut is putting employers on notice over workplace AI. Effective Oct. 1, 2026, SB 5 clarifies that Connecticut employers facing a discrimination claim can’t blame the artificial intelligence (AI) tools they use to make hiring, promotion, discipline or termination decisions. Other changes that kicked in the same day: And there’s more coming. The law’s second […]
USCIS Plans to Abolish 60-Day Grace Period for Certain Nonimmigrant Workers
On Sept. 11, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, if adopted, would eliminate the 60-day grace period currently granted to most nonimmigrant workers in H-1B, H-1B1, E-1, E-2, E-3, L-1, O-1 or TN status who abruptly lose their positions. The grace period has been in place since […]
Pa. Court Sets 3-Year Deadline for Minimum Wage Act Claims
Pennsylvania employers face a three-year window for employees to sue over unpaid minimum wages or overtime under state law, rather than the six years a trial court previously allowed. The ruling came in a case involving 20 pharmacy employees seeking overtime for work done from 2017 to 2019. The employers argued the claims were filed […]
Hidden Payroll Rounding Risk: Unpaid Pre-Shift Time Under Scrutiny
Required pre-shift tasks – and whether employees are paid for them – are at the center of a former hospital nurse’s wage dispute. Chestnut Hill Hospital required nurses to change into surgical scrubs by 7 a.m. for a morning huddle. Pamela McBride sued under the Fair Labor Standards Act, alleging the hospital didn’t pay her […]
Waiting 15 Minutes for a Late Manager: When Does the FLSA Require Pay?
Payroll usually pays the hours recorded on time clocks – but requiring employees to arrive early can create a pay obligation before they even punch in. That’s the issue in a recent wage dispute, alleging violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and New York law. The Second Circuit just remanded the case for […]
Sirius XM Wins Dismissal of AI Hiring Bias Lawsuit
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 applicant hadn’t alleged enough facts to state a plausible discrimination claim. Applicant Alleges AI Hiring […]
Supreme Court Won’t Hear Overtime Pay Case Tied to Employer Knowledge
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 was working overtime. Worker Alleged Misclassification, Sought OT Jerry Merritt managed a team of insurance […]
New Jersey Minimum Wage Rises to $16.48 on Jan. 1
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 the state constitution. More New Jersey Wage Increases to Note Separate minimum wage rates also […]
Massachusetts Changes PFML Contribution Allocation for 2027
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 the impact of IRS guidance on PFML benefit taxation. Employers with 25 or more covered […]
SHRM Owes $400K After Rescinding Job Offer Over Service Dog
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 federal jury in Virginia awarded Fiona Torres $400,000 in compensatory damages; it declined to award […]
Lyft to Pay $272.5M to Settle Driver Misclassification Claims
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 the largest wage-and-hour settlement in state history, according to the press release. LCO: Misclassification Errors […]
California Raises Repeat Pay Data Reporting Penalty to $1,000 per Employee
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 pay data report to $1,000 per employee, up from $200. The maximum penalty for an […]
Retaliation Risk: Spotting and Stopping Claims Before They Start
Join us to master one of the most common and costly claims in employment law. You will learn to recognize protected activity early, review every decision that follows a complaint, and document legitimate reasons that hold up if your actions are questioned.
Election Day 2026: What Payroll Needs to Know About Voting Leave
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. Election Day Rules: State Laws Vary Widely In California, employees who lack sufficient time outside […]
