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Quick Hits Even “just for fun” April Fools’ jokes and pranks must not violate the rights of others or disrupt workplace harmony; in cases of serious violations, German labor law sanctions up to and including termination without notice are possible. Content that discriminates against or demeans others may constitute harassment—employers have duties to protect and prevent such behavior. What counts as an April Fools’ prank? April Fools’ jokes are defined…

Quick Hits A Massachusetts federal court provisionally granted intervention in ongoing litigation challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s ACTS survey, for a limited purpose, to two higher-education associations seeking TROs against the survey deadlines. The TRO extends the deadline to complete the ACTS survey to April 14, 2026, for the proposed intervenor associations and their constituent institutions and restrains enforcement of the earlier March 18 and March 31 deadlines against…

AB 1803 represents California’s latest effort to expand mandatory workplace training requirements—this time, to address what its sponsors describe as a gap in existing law with respect to hate-motivated conduct in the workplace. Quick Hits California is poised to expand mandatory workplace training requirements. AB 1803, introduced in February 2026, would require employers with five or more employees to incorporate anti-hate speech training into their existing workplace harassment prevention programs—a…

Quick Hits The DOL proposed a six-factor safe harbor to meet a fiduciary’s duty of prudence when selecting designated investment alternatives under participant-directed defined contribution plans. The proposed regulation does not apply to brokerage windows or self-directed brokerage accounts under defined contribution plans.  This proposal follows President Trump’s executive order aimed at increasing access to alternative assets and reversing earlier Biden-era guidance that discouraged such investments due to risk concerns. …

Quick Hits In Larkin v. Total Quality Logistics, LLC, a logistics firm was sued after it denied a work-from-home accommodation request from an employee with a high-risk pregnancy. A jury found the accommodation denial contributed to the baby’s premature birth and death. The case shows how an accommodation denial may create liability for employers if they aggravate a worker’s medical condition. Background on the Case In 2021, a claims associate…

Quick Hits Virginia’s General Assembly has passed legislation that would prohibit noncompete agreements for healthcare professionals. HB1 and SB1 would establish a multiyear schedule to increase Virginia’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by January 1, 2028, with further adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index starting in 2029. SB258 and SB790 would introduce workplace protections and health insurance coverage for menopause and perimenopause. Prohibiting Healthcare Noncompete Agreements (Senate Bill…

Quick Hits Smart glasses, which can record audio, video, and capture facial recognition data, present significant employment law challenges for retailers. Overly broad recording bans can be illegal under the National Labor Relations Act. Retail employers may want to engage in an interactive process for accommodation requests related to smart glasses to avoid potential lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Recording Problem: Know the State Laws Unlike cellular…

Quick Hits Germany’s Federal Labor Court ruled that recurring seasonal allergies like hay fever may be considered a continuation of the same underlying condition rather than new illnesses. Employers can contest sick leave claims for recurring seasonal allergies if the employee has been absent for more than six weeks within the relevant periods, shifting the burden of proof to the employee. Employers are generally protected against liability for allergic reactions…

Quick Hits Expanded worker protections are becoming the norm across nearly all jurisdictions. Reduced working hours are trending globally. AI regulation in HR is accelerating, from the EU AI Regulation affecting Germany, to Ontario’s AI disclosure rules in Canada, to the UAE’s use of AI for enforcement. Compliance and reporting standards continue to rise, including enhanced pay transparency requirements and contractor classification rules. From sweeping labor code consolidations to new…

Quick Hits Twenty states and the District of Columbia recently filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, challenging the USDA’s new funding conditions related to anti-DEI, gender ideology, and immigration requirements. Similar certification requirements are emerging across federal agencies, including a certification recently proposed by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Federal grant recipients and contractors may wish to evaluate their DEI-related programs and monitor…

Quick Hits In Walsh v. HNTB Corp., a former employee sued an architectural design firm for age discrimination and constructive discharge after it placed her on a performance improvement plan (PIP). The First Circuit found that the facts of this case did not meet the standard for an adverse employment action established with the Supreme Court of the United States’ decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis. While a…

Quick Hits Law 2466 of 2025 introduces significant labor reforms in Colombia, including prioritizing indefinite-term contracts, redefining work schedules, and expanding paid leave. The reform mandates hiring quotas for people with disabilities, strengthens anti-discrimination protections, and introduces new teleworking modalities. Night shifts will continue to carry a 35 percent premium, and work on Sundays and holidays will see a gradual increase in pay, reaching a 100 percent premium by July…