Incivility Skyrockets at Huge Costs to Employers

The SHRM Civility Index shows incivility levels at record highs for 2024’s fourth quarter, scoring 40.9 out of 100 on workplace incivility and 49.7 on society incivility. Over three-quarters of U.S. workers stated that they had experienced or witnessed incivility over the past month. Along with those acts of incivility, the costs of incivility also rose for employers. The Civility Index shows that, collectively, Read More

USCIS Issues Final Rule Permanently Extending Work Permit Renewal

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published a final rule that permanently increases the automatic extension period for certain immigrants’ employment authorization documents (EADs). The rule, which takes effect on January 13, 2025, automatically extends the EAD renewal period from 180 to 540 days. According to USCIS, the increased extension period will help ensure that individuals do not Read More

Walmart Joins Other Major Employers in Backing Off DEI Policies

Walmart recently announced that it intends to abandon its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, currently part of its nonprofit Center for Racial Equity. The world’s largest retailer has joined several other major corporations in distancing themselves from DEI policies, including Boeing, Deere & Co., Ford, Harley Davidson, J.P. Morgan Chase, Lowe’s, and Tractor Supply. Walmart is the largest Read More

Employers Offering Menopause Benefits Continue to Be Rare

NFP, a global benefits consultant and property and casualty insurance broker, recently reported that only five percent of U.S. employers offer menopause benefits to their employees. This figure increased only incrementally from last year when four percent of U.S. employers offered such benefits. NFP’s survey included responses from 620 individuals responsible for creating and updating leave management Read More

Texas Federal Court Vacates New Overtime Rule: What Employers Need to Know

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas recently ruled that the Biden administration’s new overtime rule, which increased the salary threshold for white-collar exemptions from overtime on July 1, 2024, was unlawful. The rule also called for future increases on January 1, 2025, and every three years after that. As a result of the Court's ruling, which applies nationwide, the salary threshold for Read More

NLRB Issues Two Major Decisions Concerning Mandatory Meetings and Employer Statements on the Impact of Unionization

In November, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued two rulings that overturned long-standing precedents. One case outlawed mandatory or so-called “captive audience” meetings by employers, and the other established a new standard for evaluating employee statements on the potential effects of unionization. Both decisions apply only prospectively, not retroactively. First, in the Siren Retail Corp d/b/a Read More

Trump Administration Expected to Eliminate OSHA Heat Safety Rule

On July 2, 2024, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) published a proposed heat safety rule to protect all industry workers from extreme heat. The public has until December 30, 2024, to submit comments on the rule. However, most believe the incoming Trump administration is unlikely to finalize the rule. Federal agencies typically take several months to review comments, potentially revise the Read More

DOL Issues Guidelines Concerning Integration of AI Platforms into the Workplace

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued guidelines for employers on principles and best practices for artificial intelligence (AI) and employer well-being. These guidelines build on the Biden administration’s 2023 executive order on AI, which stressed the need to ensure that AI supports and provides worker opportunities rather than harms and expands inequalities. The Partnership on AI, which consists of Read More

NYC Council Ponders Giving Employees Paid Time Off to Care for Sick Pets

The New York City Council is considering a bill (Int. 1089-2024) that would provide paid time off for New York City workers to care for their pets. The council planned to refer the bill to its Consumer and Worker Protection Committee. If passed, New York City would be one of the only jurisdictions in the nation to mandate paid time off for workers to care for their sick or injured animals. A local law in Read More

DOL Orders Remote Workers Back to the Office Despite Union Pushback

The National Council of Field Labor Locals (NCFLL), the DOL’s largest employee union, which represents about 7,500 employees, has announced that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is requiring remote workers to return to the office as of December 1, 2024. In November 2023, the DOL issued a return-to-office mandate for remote workers beginning in January 2024. NCFLL challenged the requirement, which DOL deferred until Read More