News

Updates on key OSHA initiatives, including the heat stress standard, infectious disease rulemaking, enforcement strategies and more. Consequences of federal policy shifts on states that have State Plans, including how to manage enforcement with consistency. Effects of proposed budget cuts on safety oversight and resources.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) was signed into effect by President Trump on July 4, 2025. Included in the OBBBA was the “No Tax on Tips” provision, which grants service-sector workers an above-the-line deduction of up to $25,000 of qualified tip income earned between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2028. Also included is the “No Tax on Overtime” provision, which, during the 2025-2028 tax years, grants...

On July 3, 2024, Judge Ada Brown for the Northern District of Texas issued a limited preliminary injunction in favor of the Plaintiffs, preventing the FTC’s new noncompete rule from taking effect against the Plaintiff’s involved in the case. The injunction will not have nationwide effect and all other employers should continue preparing to comply with the FTC’s new rule starting September 4, 2024.

Today in a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court overturned a decades old precedent regarding the deference given to interpretations of federal law by federal administrative agencies. Known as the Chevron doctrine, this 1984 case favored agency interpretations and provided these agencies wide latitude in interpreting and implementing federal laws. The effect of Chevron over the decades has resulted in wide ranging rules and regulations in the areas of employment, wage and hour, immigration, and the environment.

On April 23, 2024, the US Department of Labor announced the final rule that expands the overtime compensation requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The United States Department of Labor recently announced the final rule federalregister.gov regarding independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act.  This rule, scheduled to go into effect on March 11, 2024, rescinds the 2021 Independent Contractor Rule, and will make it more difficult for an employer to classify individuals as independent contractors.  As part of its news release, the DOL states “The rule provides guidance on proper classification and seeks to combat employee misclassification, a serious problem that impacts workers’ rights to minimum wage and overtime pay, facilitates wage theft, allows some employers to undercut their law-abiding competition and hurts the economy at large.”