Employment Law Letter

In the 2025 book “If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies,” the authors confidently predict how superhuman artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to the annihilation of humanity. The book isn’t fiction. Existential threat or...

Q Must we reimburse an employee for the expense of an Uber ride if we normally reimburse her for taking the bus? Generally, no, but it depends. Federal law doesn’t require the reimbursement of travel expenses for...

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide a reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with a disability. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can...

Oklahoma has again amended the employment provisions of the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Act (OMMA), specifically Title 63, Section 427.8. The new law, House Bill 3127, passed in the House of Representatives on March 24...

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit determines appeals from the U.S. District Courts in New York, Connecticut, and Vermont. In a recent case, the Second Circuit heard an employer’s appeal of the Vermont...

On February 26, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking that would again revise how workers are classified as employees or independent contractors...

The legal landscape for noncompetition agreements in the state of Washington is changing again. Beginning June 30, 2027, nearly all noncompetes will be void and unenforceable in the state. Washington will join at least...

On April 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that IBM agreed to pay approximately $17 million to resolve allegations that certain employment practices related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI...

Q Must we reimburse an employee for the expense of an Uber ride if we normally reimburse her for taking the bus? She needs to go to another worksite for business purposes, and there’s no bus option. Employers are...

Some people sue, thinking, “What have I got to lose? If the jury finds against me, I’ll just move on with my life.” Well, it’s not what you don’t know that hurts you but what you think is so that isn’t. Read on. SMU...

Q We recently conducted a background check for a candidate we offered a job to and found the person has a pending felony conviction for theft that wasn’t disclosed. Because the job requires access to maintenance...

Performance improvement plans (PIPs) have long been a routine part of performance management. Employers use them to address underperformance, set expectations, and document efforts to help employees improve. But in...

Q We granted an employee who normally works 40 hours per week a Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) accommodation to work only 36 hours per week. May we require the employee to use paid time off (PTO) for the remaining...

On April 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking to clarify the standard for determining joint employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical...

A pending lawsuit against Northwestern University and its health plan fiduciaries raises novel claims that could be problematic for employers that offer multiple medical benefit options if the court’s recent denial of...