New York City's landmark law requiring bias audits of automated employment decision tools has moved from grace period to active enforcement, with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection issuing its first significant penalties in 2025. Employers relying on AI-driven screening software for New York City roles face concrete audit obligations and public summary requirements that many are still misunderstanding. This article unpacks what the law demands, what auditors actually look for, and the compliance gaps regulators are citing most often.
The FTC's sweeping rule banning most non-compete agreements was vacated by the Fifth Circuit in August 2024 before it could take effect, leaving employers and employees back where they started — governed by a patchwork of state laws that range from near-total bans to broad enforcement. Understanding where your state falls on that spectrum, and how state courts are interpreting those rules in the post-FTC-rule environment, is now the essential competence for employment counsel.
New York's Freelance Isn't Free Act has been extended statewide in 2026. Here's what independent contractors and hiring parties need to know about contract requirements and penalty exposure.
California's 2024 PAGA reform legislation — enacted as SB 92 and AB 2288 — fundamentally restructured the Private Attorneys General Act by bifurcating individual and representative claims, capping penalties in some circumstances, and requiring courts to consider proportionality in penalty awards. For plaintiffs' and defense labor counsel, the new framework changes case valuation, settlement dynamics, and the strategic value of individual arbitration agreements. Here is a practical breakdown of what changed and what it means for pending and future cases.
Washington's 2019 non-compete law caps enforceable agreements at 18 months and requires earnings thresholds to exceed $100,000 annually. Here's what's changed and what employers must do to protect trade secrets legally.
Virginia's Overtime Wage Act provides broader protections than federal FLSA — and a three-year statute of limitations. Here's what employers and employees need to know about this parallel enforcement framework.