What's the maximum you'll pay per employee in Social Security tax next year? The taxable wage base estimate has been released. According to the intermediate projection issued in a June 2025 report, the Social Security taxable wage base next year…
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A federal district court in Texas has struck down portions of the EEOC’s harassment guidance, ruling that the agency overstepped its authority by asserting that Title VII requires employers to accommodate transgender employees' bathroom access, pronoun usage and dress preferences.…
Timekeeping failures create costly risks beyond payroll. A federal probe uncovered widespread overtime violations by a construction contractor, forcing the employer to pay nearly $600,000 in back wages and damages. Flawed time rounding and incomplete recordkeeping caused it. This case…
Should you withhold child support from a bonus or other lump-sum payment you’re about to make to an employee? You’ll be able to get an answer to that question from your state child support agency more quickly than in the…
A federal appeals court struck down a court-ordered religious liberty training for Southwest’s attorneys. Even so, it affirmed a seven-figure jury verdict for a fired employee. The case carries critical lessons for HR teams handling post-litigation compliance. Here’s the latest…
What exactly are the FMLA notice requirements employees must meet before taking leave? The answer isn’t simple – and getting it wrong can expose employers to costly legal risks. That’s why HR professionals need to understand a new federal appeals…
The Department of Labor (DOL) is once again taking a neutral stance on offering a certain investment option to retirement plan participants: crypto. During the Biden administration, the DOL issued Compliance Assistance Release 2022-01, warning 401(k) plan fiduciaries against cryptocurrencies.…
A federal judge in Louisiana ruled that the EEOC overstepped its authority by requiring elective abortion accommodations under the PWFA. This narrows the EEOC’s interpretation, but the law’s core protections still apply. The decision invalidates an EEOC rule that said…
While the IRS can assess penalties under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), it can’t issue the certifications required beforehand, a court has ruled. Those certifications must come from the Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to a federal…
When an employee ties misconduct to a disability, HR has to weigh ADA compliance against policy enforcement. One misstep can trigger a lawsuit. A recent Fourth Circuit ruling clarifies that the ADA does not shield dishonesty or policy violations, even…
AI is changing hiring fast. Workday’s AI hiring discrimination lawsuit sends a clear warning: failing to spot potential algorithmic bias can land employers in serious legal trouble. The Mobley v. Workday case highlights why HR leaders can’t afford to overlook…
What does a textbook case of unlawful retaliation look like? If the allegations in this case are true – as a jury believed to the tune of more than $3 million – then a recent lawsuit out of Tennessee is…
The rollercoaster ride continues as federal regulators reevaluate the current overtime rule and what it means to meet the salary level test. In 2024, the Biden administration's Dept. of Labor (DOL) finalized a rule that aimed to dramatically increase the…
A Coast Guard reservist who is also a federal employee was entitled to differential pay while on active duty, the Supreme Court has ruled. In a 5-4 decision, the nation’s highest court rejected the Justice Department’s argument that a federal…
It’s not often that dress codes and ADA accommodation claims cross paths – but if an employee asks to be excused from complying with a generally applicable dress code requirement as a disability-related job accommodation, employers need to know the…
In April 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released an updated version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Shortly thereafter, E-Verify and E-Verify+, which also fall under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), underwent minor changes…
