Compliance Stuff

  Virginia is poised to further expand its restrictions on employee non-competes. The Virginia legislature r ecently passed   SB 170   (the “SB 170”), making employee non-competes unenforceable if an employer terminates an employee without cause and does not provide severance or other monetary compensation . This new requirement applies to non-competes for employees at all levels regardless of compensation. Failure to comply with SB 170 can lead to civil penalties and private rights of action with recovery of attorney fees and damages. SB 170 is headed to Governor Abigail Spanberger, who is expected to sign it. This development is the latest in the growing patchwork of state non-compete laws. Although the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC’s”) nationwide non-compete rule has been  sidelined , scrutiny of restrictive covenants at the FTC remains. States, such as  Colorado ,  Illinois , and  Minnesota , continue to pass laws seeking to limit or ban employ...

Here are the top 10 workplace compliance items you should tackle in March 2026, based on the latest labor and employment law updates: _____ Prepare for shifting independent contractor rules.   The US Department of Labor just released a highly anticipated proposal that should soon make it easier for businesses to engage with independent contractors – including freelancers and gig worker s – while providing clearer lines on what aspects of the working relationship can trigger employee status. Here’s  everything you need to know and four steps to prepare . _____ Learn more about OSHA’s Safety Champions Program.  OSHA recently announced the launch of the voluntary, self-guided initiative outlining several core practices employers should incorporate into their workplace safety and health plans. Rather than another compliance checkbox, this program represents a shift away from harsh enforcement-based compliance toward encouraging proactive risk management and prevention. Here’s...

While new presidents are typically judged based on their actions in their first 100 days, the current Trump administration has moved at such a rapid speed that we think another recap is needed at the halfway point. Here’s your employer cheat sheet on Trump’s first 50 days. Table of Contents Immigration DEI and Equal Opportunity Compliance Affirmative Action and Federal Contract Compliance Labor Relations Workplace Safety Employee Defection and Trade Secrets Artificial Intelligence Education Immigration Trump signed 10 immigration orders on day one (Jan. 20).  These executive orders, among other things, declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Mexico border, reinstated the “remain in Mexico” policy, terminated the asylum related mobile app, and designated Mexican criminal cartels as terrorist organizations. Read more  here . Trump also  tried to  end automatic birthright citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants,  but this order has been  blocked ...