New England Biz Law Update

Three states are joining the growing movement toward wage disclosure requirements, with New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Vermont all implementing new pay transparency laws in 2025. These laws represent a significant shift in employment practices, requiring employers to be more open ...

The National Labor Relations Board is stepping up its scrutiny of employment agreements, targeting both “stay-or-pay” provisions and non-compete clauses. NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo issued a memo (GC Memo 25-01) outlining her view that these provisions often violate the ...

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could change how reverse discrimination claims are handled. The case, Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, centers on whether employees from majority groups must meet stricter standards than minority ...

In a move to address labor shortages, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in partnership with the Department of Labor (DOL), announced plans to release an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for Fiscal Year 2025. The supplemental visas, ...

A Rhode Island-based employee who brought whistleblower, contract and fraud claims against her Texas employer following her termination will have to arbitrate her claims in Texas, a U.S. District Court judge has decided. Plaintiff Linda Kenerson, who claims her Dallas-based ...

A recent federal court decision has many employers breathing a sigh of relief, while others are now in a state of uncertainty regarding overtime pay. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas vacated the Biden administration’s overtime ...

In two recent decisions, the National Labor Relations Board has altered the legal landscape governing union elections, impacting how employers communicate with their employees during organizing campaigns. These rulings overturn decades-old precedents and, as such, are likely to face legal ...

Donald Trump’s return to the presidency will likely bring significant shifts in U.S. immigration policy, with consequences for employers. Based on his administration’s past actions and recent pronouncements, businesses should anticipate a surge in worksite enforcement, stricter visa regulations, and ...

A whistleblower must take his retaliation claims to arbitration first, despite protections under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), according to a federal judge. Judge Beth Labson Freeman’s ruling acknowledged that while a whistleblower’s SOX claim cannot be subjected to arbitration due ...

As of Nov. 21, 2024, the Massachusetts Earned Sick Time Law requires employers to allow employees to use earned sick time to address physical and mental health needs following a pregnancy loss or unsuccessful attempts at assisted reproduction, adoption, or ...