Compliance Stuff

The  Beltway Buzz ®  is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C., could impact your business. Federal Government Likely Heading for Weekend Shutdown, but With Hope on the Horizon.  At the time of this writing, the U.S. Senate has not passed legislation to fund most of the federal government beyond 11:59 p.m. (EST) this evening. Just a few days ago, Congress was on the glide path to do so, but as the  Buzz   noted last week , “Politics can always derail efforts at the last minute.” And this is exactly what happened in the Senate this week. Before leaving Washington, D.C., last week, the U.S. House of Representatives sent the Senate a six-bill funding package that needed to be passed to keep the government open. But part of the package included a bill funding the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Senate Democrats wanted to make changes to that bill following ...

The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) has resumed operations after a prolonged period without a quorum, restoring its ability to decide cases and issue precedent . Yet the Board’s narrow composition, looming vacancies, and ongoing constitutional challenges mean that its renewed activity will emphasize case management and enforcement strategy rather than sweeping doctrinal change. A Quorum Restored, Temporarily For most of 2025, the NLRB lacked a quorum and was u nable to decide cases arising under the National Labor Relations Act . That changed on January 7, 2026, when President Trump’s nominees, James Murphy and Scott Mayer, were sworn in following Senate confirmation. They join Member David Prouty, a Biden appointee. The Board’s restored quorum, however, is short-lived. Member Prouty’s term expires in August 2026, after which the Board will again fall below the quorum required to issue decisions unless additional members are confirmed. Clearing the Backlog, Not Rewri...

At a Glance The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI’s updates on federal, state, and local matters. NLRB Regains a Quorum, but Few Quick Changes Expected On December 18, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed three nominees to the National Labor Relations Board. The nominees included James Murphy, who will now serve as Board chair, Scott Mayer, who will serve as a Board member, and Crystal Carey, who will serve as general counsel. Carey’s confirmation gives the Board a leader to oversee enforcement. And Murphy’s and Mayer’s confirmations restore the Board’s statutory quorum, allowing it to resume (more or less) normal operations. Read Littler’s analysis  here . Congress Considers Laws to Strengthen Union-Member Rights The House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a  hearing  titled, “Ensuring Union Leaders Represent Members, Not Agendas,” to consider a  package  of bills to better protec...

At a Glance The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI’s updates on federal, state, and local matters. DHS Rule Will Eliminate Automatic Extension of Work Permits  On October 30, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an  interim final rule  (IFR) eliminating the automatic extension of expiring employment authorization documents (EADs) for foreign workers . The IFR states that “ the purpose of this change is to prioritize the proper vetting and screening of aliens before granting a new period of employment authorization and/or a new EAD .” The DHS notes the IFR does not impact the validity of EADs that were automatically extended prior to October 30, 2025, or are otherwise automatically extended by law. This significant policy change will have a disruptive impact on employers in various sectors trying to meet the demands of a competitive workforce. Although the IFR is effective immediately, the regulated ...

California’s labor landscape is changing with the passage of  Assembly Bill (AB) 288 , which expands both worker rights and the authority of the state’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). Employers should be aware of these changes, as they may impact workplace policies, union interactions, and the handling of labor disputes . PERB is a state agency that has traditionally overseen labor relations for public sector employees in California. The agency is viewed as very pro-employee, and more so than the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which is its federal counterpart.   PERB administers and enforces laws related to collective bargaining and unfair labor practices for public employees, such as teachers and state workers. With AB 288, PERB’s authority is now extended to certain private-sector workers under specific circumstances. Expanded Worker Rights AB 288 reaffirms and broadens California workers’ rights to organize, join, and support labor organizations, and to ...

At a Glance The EEOC has regained a quorum, enabling it to make new policy, revisit old policies and guidance, and take other significant actions. A reconstituted EEOC is expected to turn its attention to “illegal” DEI, religious discrimination, PWFA regulations, harassment guidance, and LGBTQ employees, among other areas. On October 7, 2025, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Brittany Panuccio to be a commissioner of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) . When she takes her seat, absent something unusual happening, she will restore the agency’s quorum. Now that the agency is fully empowered, what might employers expect from the agency going forward? 1 By way of background, since late January, the Commission has lacked a quorum. On Inauguration Day, there were four sitting commissioners—three Democratic appointees, and one Republican (Commissioner Andrea Lucas) who was immediately designated acting chair. In late January, however, the White House took the unprec...