Compliance Stuff

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off June 11 and runs through July 19, making it the largest, longest, and most historic tournament in the competition’s history. For the first time ever, the event will feature 48 nations hosted across the US, Mexico, and Canada, and is bound to spark passion for billions around the world. For employers, that passion could translate into a workday disruption unlike anything a domestic sporting event has ever produced. Employers will be faced with five weeks of absenteeism challenges, harassment risks, wage and hour pressure, and discrimination exposure. This Insight will break down the five biggest mistakes employers could make during this World Cup, and what to do about each one. Additional Resources The FP5 Podcast: Getting Your Business Ready for the 2026 World Cup Comprehensive Checklist to Help Businesses Prepare for Soccer’s 2026 World Cup Mistake #1: Treating This Like Any Other Sporting Event The World Cup will feature f ive weeks of games running ...

Employers now have a roadmap from the federal government on how best to comply with workplace anti-discrimination laws under the Trump administration. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) just released an updated National Enforcement Plan yesterday that replaces the last plan from the Biden administration. Notably, the plan prioritizes enforcement in intentional discrimination cases – including bias in DEI programs – rather than disparate impact claims. The plan “reaffirms the agency’s unwavering commitment to merit-based, evenhanded enforcement of our nation’s civil rights laws,” according to EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about the new enforcement guidelines and five steps to ensure compliance. The EEOC’s New Enforcement Priorities The EEOC’s Commissioners voted on June 4 to replace the Biden administration’s FY 2024-2028 Strategic Enforcement Plan with a new National Enforcement Plan (NEP). The EEOC noted that it will use its enfo...

Governor Gavin Newsom just signed a sweeping executive order right before the holiday weekend directing California state agencies to study potential workforce disruptions caused by AI so they can protect displaced workers through new policy recommendations. The May 21 order tasks the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) with reviewing and making recommendations on a range of worker protection policies, from WARN Act revisions to severance standards to collective bargaining practices involving AI. But does any of this affect you right now? The short answer is no for California employers, but the EO still warrants close attention given how it could change things in the future. No New Obligations Today Executive Order N-6-26 ( which you can find here ) does not create any immediate legal obligations for private employers . Instead, it sets in motion a series of government reviews and analysis tasks with various deadlines, all aimed at informing potential future legislation and r...

Workers 55 and older now make up nearly a quarter of the US workforce and represent the labor force’s fastest growing age group. Further, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the overall labor force participation rate will slightly decline between 2020 and 2030, the rate for those in the 75-and-up age group is expected to grow by 96.5% during this same decade. What does an aging workforce mean for employers? This Insight will cover four key workplace law considerations as employees continue working later into their lives. 4 Key Compliance Considerations for Employers 1. Age Discrimination Risks An aging workforce heightens the importance of careful compliance with age discrimination laws. This is especially true in light of a recent AARP Research survey of workers age 50-plus, which showed that: 22% of respondents felt they were being pushed out of work because of their age; and 64% reported seeing or experiencing age discrimination in the workplace. The federal Age D...

Employers just received clarity from the Missouri Supreme Court that’s helpful for your litigation strategy. The court made clear in an April 21 ruling that summary judgment is not an “extreme and drastic remedy,” and court opinions that say so should no longer be followed. This opinion can be used as a legitimate procedural tool to help employers defend against costly workplace claims. Here’s what you need to know about the ruling and what it means for your business. Breakdown of the Facts and Relevant Law Missouri’s  Service Letter Law  establishes a specific process for how and when a terminated employee can request a service letter from a former employer: ✅The service letter must be requested in writing within a year of the employee’s discharge and sent by certified mail to the superintendent, manager, or registered agent of the corporation that employed them. ✅The former employer has 45 days to issue a compliant service letter describing the “nature and character” of the ...

Employers around the country need to comply with a growing patchwork of laws on fair pay, pay data reporting, and transparency in job ads and the hiring process. Compliance has become increasingly complex as more states and cities pass their own nuanced requirements that vary from location to location, and the stakes are getting higher as the penalties for violations rise. Here’s an overview of key federal, state, and local pay equity trends, as well as practical tips for compliance. Quick Overview of Federal and State Equal Pay Laws Purpose:  The goal of pay equity and transparency laws is to close pay gaps and give employees more information to understand how their compensation compares to their peers and the market, and in turn, more power to correct past inequities based on gender, race, and other characteristics. Themes:  For over sixty years, the federal Equal Pay Act has required equal pay for men and women for substantially equal work. Many states have built on the fe...