Workplace Insights

What happened? The FTC has activated its Joint Labor Task Force to crack down on noncompete agreements that it deems anticompetitive. Fisher Phillips Its first enforcement action challenged a large employer for requiring noncompetes with all new hires, regardless of their job role.  The FTC signaled that customer nonsolicitation clauses

What Happened The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released its semiannual regulatory agenda (Sept 2025), outlining high-priority proposals that could reshape how employers manage labor & employment risk. Key areas under review include: Joint employer status under the FLSA (proposed rule expected in December), to clarify when businesses share l

What Happened: The "New Tax on Tips" Law As part of the “Big Beautiful Bill” signed July 4, 2025, tipped and certain non-exempt workers may deduct up to $25,000 in reported tip income from federal taxable income between tax years 2025 and 2028. Eligibility requires individuals to earn under $150,000 (or $300,000 for joint filers). Only

Hiring decisions are never simple—but when background checks uncover red flags, employers enter one of the most regulated areas of employment law: the Adverse Action process. This is not just a box to check. It’s a federally mandated safeguard under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), designed to ensure all candidates are treated fair

When building or refining a background screening program, many organizations focus on county and state-level criminal checks. While those searches are a critical starting point, they leave one major gap that can expose employers to serious risk—federal criminal records. Federal offenses often involve some of the most serious crimes impacting

What happened Colorado lawmakers failed to reach a compromise on amendments to the nation’s first comprehensive AI antidiscrimination law during a special legislative session. Instead, both the state Senate and House passed a bill pushing the law’s effective date back from February 1, 2026, to June 30, 2026. Governor Polis is expected t