COVID may feel like a thing of the past, but its legal fallout continues. A Pennsylvania school worker’s religious accommodation claim from the pandemic years just failed in court -- a reminder that these disputes are still playing out. Religious…
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Time to update your systems: SSA has announced the 2026 Social Security taxable wage base. Next year’s number will increase to $184,500 – that’s $8,400 more than the current amount of $176,100. So, the official projection released earlier this year…
A $900,000 settlement in Washington shows how easily employers can stumble on pay transparency compliance when job postings lack required pay ranges. The Washington case centers on Domino’s franchisees accused of leaving pay range details out of job postings, an…
Is your company a joint employer, subject to trickier overtime compliance issues? If you don't ask that question, employees might do it for you. Case in point: An employee recently contacted the Department of Labor (DOL), asking for guidance on…
When it comes to nursing rights at work, a Pennsylvania court just sent a clear message: Mishandling accommodation requests for pumping breaks can create serious liability for employers. In 2021, Madison Weaver was working as a customer service agent for…
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is suing to block the Trump administration’s new $100,000 fee on H-1B visas, arguing it would drive up labor costs and limit access to global talent. For most employers, it’s an unbudgeted expense – a…
Pay transparency laws typically require employers to disclose salary and other relevant information in their job postings. But what if an applicant doesn’t really want the job – and is just testing you and hoping to see you in court…
An employee who says his employer wrongfully withheld overtime payments has recovered about $3,700 for the alleged violation so far – but he is fighting to get much more. For HR pros, the case shows that depending on state law,…
A newly filed lawsuit in Massachusetts accuses package delivery service provider FedEx of neglecting its legal duty to pay drivers overtime by having the drivers work for intermediate entities called “independent service providers.” The suit essentially asserts that FedEx created…
The amounts you can exclude from an employee’s gross income for certain fringe benefits will increase for 2026, IRS announced. As you know, fringe benefits are generally subject to income tax withholding as well as Social Security and Medicare taxes,…
It’s a relatively uncommon type of Title VII claim, but it happens: An employee sues their employer based on alleged harassment not by a supervisor or co-worker but instead by a client or customer of the employer. In that situation,…
Under a new law in Maine, covered employers are now required to provide compensation -- or show-up pay -- to employees who report to work but have their shifts canceled or reduced. In passing this legislation, Maine joins a handful…
Recent grads carrying student loan debt may not think retirement plan participation is doable for them. But if you offer a student loan payment matching program, that's good news for their wallets and your plan participation rate. Thanks to the…
It’s a wildly astronomical number, and we’re not trying to scare anyone – but a recent case from New Jersey shows that employee misclassifications can be a costly mistake. The state of New Jersey recently recovered more than $19 million…
Ever since the Secure 2.0 Act laid out changes for workplace retirement plans, employers have been waiting for final regs from the IRS. Now, the regs are here. The 2022 law established new requirements, impacting 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans…
Sometimes, things can get uncomfortable or awkward at work. But to cross the line into illegal harassment, there needs to be something more: what the law calls “severe or pervasive” negative conduct or behavior. In a recent case from eastern…
