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Quick Hits The Department of Education announced a RIF for nearly 50 percent of its workforce. Impacted staff will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21, 2025. Affected employees will receive full pay and benefits until June 9, 2025. Employees are not expected to work during the deferred resignation, voluntary buyout, or RIF periods. The impact of the RIF on the overall operations and responsibilities of the department is…

Quick Hits The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry issued proposed rules stating that employees anticipated to work over 50 percent in Minnesota in an accrual year would accrue earned sick and safe time leave (ESST) for all hours worked despite location. The proposed rules would allow employers to “advance” ESST hours. The proposed rules also clarify that employees have a choice to use paid ESST or take unpaid and…

Quick Hits Employers considering hosting NCAA bracket pools should be aware of state gambling laws, as the structure of these pools could potentially classify them as illegal gambling. Sweepstakes, as free-to-enter contests, may face fewer legal concerns, but businesses must still comply with specific state regulations that govern such promotional activities. Millions of Americans will fill out brackets for the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s college basketball tournaments, often…

Quick Hits The new NLRB acting general counsel tapped by President Donald Trump rescinded twenty-nine prior general counsel memoranda, most of which were issued by his predecessor who served during the Biden administration. The rescinded memoranda included guidance on major labor issues, such as remedies, the legality of noncompete agreements and other restrictive covenants, mandatory employer meetings, and the status of college athletes. In Memorandum GC 25-05, issued on February…

Quick Hits Florida employers are facing a complex landscape of evolving workplace policies and legal requirements in 2025, including updates in discrimination prevention, leave laws, and medical marijuana protections. Employers may want to regularly review and update their workplace policies to ensure compliance with changing laws, particularly in areas like discrimination, harassment, leave policies, and wage disputes. Key updates for Florida employee handbooks in 2025 include removing references to outdated…

Quick Hits The 2025 session of the North Carolina General Assembly is considering employment-related bills related to union organizing and collective bargaining, nondiscrimination in the workplace, noncompete and nonpoaching agreements, and DEI. Senate Bill 120 / House Bill 207 aim to prohibit employers from restricting labor organizations and requiring employees to refrain from union membership as a condition of employment. Senate Bill 154 / House Bill 168 seek to prevent…

Quick Hits Numerous states are introducing or expanding workplace violence prevention laws, particularly in healthcare settings, to enhance employee safety amid rising concerns. Specific legislative proposals, such as Alaska’s SB 49 and Massachusetts’s HD.1856, require employers to implement risk assessments, create violence prevention plans, and provide training to protect employees from workplace violence. In recent years, workplace violence has garnered significant attention from lawmakers across the United States, particularly regarding…