Compliance Stuff

New York lawmakers ended the 2026 legislative session by passing a wide range of workplace bills that could affect severance agreements, employment contracts, job postings, personnel files, wage-and-hour practices, arbitration, artificial intelligence, and workers’ compensation. While none of these measures are law yet, many are expected to be sent to Governor Hochul for consideration later this year. Some of the proposals would take effect immediately if signed, leaving employers little time to update policies, agreements, and compliance practices. Here are the top bills employers should know about and begin preparing for. Note: Even if Governor Hochul signs a bill, she may do so with an agreement that lawmakers will add chapter amendments when they return next session. Employers should confirm final action before treating any proposal as effective. Severance Agreements and Employment Contracts The No Severance Ultimatums Act ( S372A ) Employers offering covered severance agreements w...

As employers head off for the holiday season, Washington delivered a long-awaited gift: a newly reconstituted National Labor Relations Board. Late last night, the Senate confirmed  two new NLRB Board members  and Crystal Carey as NLRB General Counsel. Taken together, these confirmations signal a decisive pivot away from the most aggressive aspects of the Biden-era labor agenda and set the stage for a significantly different approach to handling cases and enforcement. What should employers expect from the Board in 2026? How’d We Get Here? It helps to rewind briefly. For most of 2025, the NLRB lacked a functioning quorum because it must have at least three members to issue decisions. The Board was left with just one member  due to the January firing of Gwynne Wilcox , along with expired terms, political gridlock, and delayed confirmations. Effectively sidelined, the Board was unable to address or revise unfavorable precedent even as cases continued to pile up. Instead, enf...

  Earlier this month, the Acting General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board ( NLRB ), William Cowen, rescinded a slew of his predecessor’s policy memoranda. While general counsel ( GC ) memoranda are not the official legal position of the   NLRB , if adopted by the Board they could have far-reaching ramifications for covered employers. New GC typically  unwind the GC Memos  of their predecessor and, in this case, the action is consistent with the overall approach of the Trump Administration to roll back actions taken by Biden appointees. By rescinding GC memoranda, Cowen has signaled that he will no longer seek to enforce actions against employers based on violations of the policies expressed in the memoranda. The action may also mean that for parties with active matters before the NLRB relating to the rescinded memos, resolution may be faster and more employer-friendly. It is important to note that because President Trump removed GC Jennifer Abruzz...