Health Plan Identifier Deadline Approaching

The IRS has released Revenue Procedure 2026-24, establishing new inflation-adjusted limits for Health Savings Accounts and high-deductible health plans effective in 2027. These updates include increased contribution limits, higher minimum deductibles, and expanded out-of-pocket maximums, along with new provisions for direct primary care service arrangements under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act. How will these changes impact employee benefit planning and healthcare coverage strategies?

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and IRS recently issued temporary regulations that provide an immediately effective framework for establishing and administering “Trump Accounts,” including broad automatic enrollment and large-scale contributions funded by governmental and charitable donors. The regulations became effective September 30, 2026, apply to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2026, and expire September 30, 2029.

On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the Allegheny County Council passed legislation requiring employers with at least 15 workers to provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave, ending months-long debate on the proposal. We previously reported on the initial 18-week proposal in May 2026 (summarized here), the revised proposed legislation (summarized here), and the Allegheny County Board of Health passing the legislation (summarized here). The measure was passed in an 11-4 vote. It will become effective in one year, as County Executive Sara Innamorato signed the bill on, October 22, 2026.

The Trump Administration has launched an unprecedented enforcement action suspending permanent labor certification processing for eight major employers, linking immigration sponsorship to layoff histories and recruitment practices. This development signals a fundamental shift in how the government evaluates employer access to H-1B and green card programs, with investigations already underway and subpoenas served.

On March 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a notice in the Federal Register seeking to restructure the calculation used to issue prevailing wages for employers seeking to hire temporary foreign employees...

The Proposed Rule largely restores the 2021 independent contractor final rule issued during the first Trump Administration.

OSHA's revised Hazard Communication Standard requires covered employers to update chemical labels, written hazard communication programs, and employee training by November 20, 2026. The revisions align with the UN's Globally Harmonized System and introduce new hazard classifications, downstream use considerations, and updated requirements for compressed gases and aerosols. Employers must navigate separate compliance timelines for chemical mixtures while ensuring their workplace practices meet the updated st

Maryland employers must comply with new posting requirements under the Worker Freedom Act, which prohibits penalizing employees who decline attendance at employer-sponsored meetings on religious or political matters. The Maryland Department of Labor has released official notices in English and Spanish that must be displayed prominently in workplaces and provided to new hires starting November 1, 2026.

On July 13, 2026, 26 current and former Meta employees sued the company in federal court in Oakland, California, alleging that Meta used artificial intelligence (AI) systems to select them for layoff in a manner...

While it’s difficult to think about winter and the new year as we swelter through our hottest weeks of the year, the approach of Q4 means that California employers are budgeting for 2027.

Starting January 1, 2026, California's minimum wage for non-exempt employees will increase from $16.50 to $16.90 per hour — a 2.49% increase over 2025 rates.

On March 1, 2025, the President directed the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an investigation into the national security impact of timber, lumber, and their derivative products imported into the United States.

In return, China has committed to purchasing U.S. agricultural exports and suspending tariffs on U.S. agricultural products until December 31, 2026.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office released new guidance on artificial intelligence and inventorship on November 28, 2025, clarifying that the same standards for inventorship...

In Advance Local Media LLC v. Cohere Inc., Judge Colleen McMahon of the Southern District of New York denied Cohere's motion to dismiss claims brought by a consortium of major news publishers.

Zelle, the peer-to-peer money transfer platform owned and operated by a group of some of the largest American banks, offers speed and ease to customers who want to transfer money quickly to family and friends.

A California judge has dismissed the copyright infringement and Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) claims of a photographer who sued Pinterest after he found his photos on the popular social media website.

The recent focus on fake news should remind trademark owners of the special care they need to take with communications about their trademark applications.

Trump Administration; Department of Homeland Security; Department of Commerce; Customs and Border Protection (CBP); United States Trade Representative...

Clients occasionally ask me to create official rules for a sweepstakes or contest that will be conducted in the U.S. and Canada, or in Canada alone.