Compliance Stuff

As we anticipated, the Trump administration rescinded Biden-era guidance yesterday on transgender rights in the workplace. In a 2-1 vote, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) scrapped enforcement guidance requiring employers to provide bathroom, dress, and pronoun accommodations to applicants and workers. While Democratic Commissioner Kalpana Kotagal cautioned that the rule could only be lawfully rescinded through a formal notice-and-comment process, Republican Chair Andrea Lucas said the rule went beyond the EEOC’s authority to enforce the civil rights law at issue. Notably, a federal judge already struck down relevant parts of the guidance in May 2025, and the Trump administration has long pledged to remove gender ideology from agency materials. Although not much has changed from a practical perspective for employers, you should be aware of changing priorities at the federal level – and ensure you’re still complying with federal, state, and local anti-discrimination la...

As the Supreme Court prepares for its next term to begin October 6, let’s look back on all the SCOTUS cases from the past year that impacted your workplace, industry, and litigation exposure. Here’s a quick guide to 12 times this year that four small words –  it is so ordered  – created sweeping implications for your business, along with a rating for how impactful each decision will be for employers. Note:  We’ll be publishing a preview of the 2025-2026 SCOTUS term in the first week of October. Make sure you’re subscribed to  Fisher Phillips’ Insight Systems  to ensure you get it delivered to your inbox. 1. Major Limit on District Courts’ Injunction Power Case :  Trump v. CASA  (June 27, 2025) Vote Count:  6-3 Ruling:  Federal district court judges may not issue injunctions that are broader than necessary to provide complete relief to each plaintiff with standing to sue. Employer Impact Score:  High Employer Impact:  Plaintiffs will...

On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), through the Attorney General (AG), issued  new guidance  directed to all federal agencies, and applicable to federal fund recipients, that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs must fully comply with federal civil rights laws, including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX (limited to educational institutions) and the Equal Protection Clause (limited to governments and their agencies) . The AG emphasized that practices involving preferential treatment based on protected characteristics (such as race, sex, or national origin) are unlawful unless narrowly tailored to meet specific legal standards, which are rarely satisfied outside of court-ordered remedies. The guidance warns against using protected traits directly or indirectly in hiring, promotion, scholarships, or training programs; segregating individuals by race or sex for access to opportunities, resources, and training; and implementing “diverse slate” requiremen...

  Rhode Island employers must keep up with new workplace laws enacted this year, including some that have already taken effect. The state not only joined a growing number of states that prohibit so-called “captive audience” meetings and became the first to provide explicit protections for employees managing the menopausal transition, it also added new onboarding notice requirements and hiked the minimum wage for 2026 . Here’s a quick guide to help you keep track of it all and prepare for the changes. Accommodations for Menopause-Related Conditions  (Effective June 24, 2025) Rhode Island just became the first state to explicitly enact workplace protections for women experiencing the menopausal transition . Gov. Dan McKee signed a  bill into law  on June 24 that extends the state’s existing law requiring workplace accommodations for pregnancy- and childbirth-related conditions to also cover menopause-related conditions. Under the new law, employers in the state wi...