by Cameron D. Ritsema, Bodman PLC
Under Michigan’s Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act (IWOWA), minimum wage increases in the state took effect on January 1, 2026.
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The recent spate of employee terminations resulting from social media posts after the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk raises questions about what liability such terminations might have for employers. The...
Without a quorum—and with substantial changes in its priorities—the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed only 93 lawsuits in fiscal year (FY) 2025, the lowest number in 10 years and the one of the lowest...
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced on September 30, 2025, that former Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Director Catherine L. Eschbach had been sworn in as Principal Deputy...
As the federal government shutdown loomed on September 30, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced its first four opinion letters since it reopened the program in June. The opinion letters issued are: FLSA2025...
As the Senate’s “nuclear option” gradually fills the ranks of executive agencies, their roles remain in doubt. The Trump administration’s aim is unprecedented and singular—to create a unitary executive, with all...
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—as amended in 1978 by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)—makes it unlawful for an employer to discharge or otherwise discriminate against a woman because she is pregnant. In...
Employers may recall that earlier this year, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) limiting the recognition of gender to male and female. Texas Governor Greg Abbott then passed a similar directive shortly after...
Employee leave management has become an increasingly complex aspect of human resources, requiring a solid understanding of intersecting federal laws and company policies. From accommodating medical needs to maintaining...
Nov 01, 2025 · Employment Law Letter
· California
· New York
· Great Lakes
· Illinois
· Indiana
· Michigan
· Ohio
· Wisconsin
· Mid-Atlantic
· Delaware
· Maryland
· New Jersey
· Pennsylvania
· Virginia
· Midsouth
· Kentucky
· North Carolina
· South Carolina
· Tennessee
· West Virginia
· Midwest
· Arkansas
· Kansas
· Missouri
· Oklahoma
· Mountain West
· Colorado
· Idaho
· Montana
· New Mexico
· Utah
· Wyoming
· New England
· Connecticut
· Maine
· Massachusetts
· New Hampshire
· Rhode Island
· Vermont
· Southeast
· Alabama
· Florida
· Georgia
· Louisiana
· Mississippi
· Upper Midwest
· Iowa
· Minnesota
· Nebraska
· North Dakota
· South Dakota
· West
· Alaska
· Arizona
· Hawaii
· Nevada
· Oregon
· Washington
When budgets tighten—whether because of a federal government shutdown, grant cuts, manufacturing slowdowns, or a dip in tourism—some employers face the difficult decision to reduce staff. If layoffs are on the table...
Recall that all employees are entitled to overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) unless their duties fall within an exemption. An often-misunderstood exemption is the administrative exemption—in...
Weight is not a protected characteristic in most civil rights laws, meaning workplace discrimination based on weight is largely permitted. There is some momentum to include weight as a protected category in civil rights...
Nov 01, 2025 · Employment Law Letter
· Great Lakes
· Illinois
· Indiana
· Michigan
· Ohio
· Wisconsin
· Mid-Atlantic
· Delaware
· Maryland
· New Jersey
· Pennsylvania
· Virginia
· Midsouth
· Kentucky
· North Carolina
· South Carolina
· Tennessee
· West Virginia
· Mountain West
· Colorado
· Idaho
· Montana
· New Mexico
· Utah
· Wyoming
· Southeast
· Alabama
· Florida
· Georgia
· Louisiana
· Mississippi
Imagine you’re having lunch with a former employee who’s moved on to a new job with your company’s direct competitor. During the conversation, the person casually says, “Hey, what if we exchanged contact information and...
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (MN-DOLI) recently published guidance on some of the key amendments to Minnesota’s meal and rest break laws that are set to take effect January 1, 2026. In this article, we...
The H-1B visa has long been a cornerstone of U.S. immigration policy, allowing American companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations like technology, engineering, and health care. But a...
Nov 01, 2025 · Employment Law Letter
· California
· New York
· Great Lakes
· Illinois
· Indiana
· Michigan
· Ohio
· Wisconsin
· Mid-Atlantic
· Delaware
· Maryland
· New Jersey
· Pennsylvania
· Virginia
· Midsouth
· Kentucky
· North Carolina
· South Carolina
· Tennessee
· West Virginia
· New England
· Connecticut
· Maine
· Massachusetts
· New Hampshire
· Rhode Island
· Vermont
· Upper Midwest
· Iowa
· Minnesota
· Nebraska
· North Dakota
· South Dakota
In a recent decision, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (which issues rulings that apply to employers in West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia) discussed the importance of an employee...
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