Reminder: Premium Processing Fees Will Increase February 26

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.

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?

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.

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.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule that will shift the H-1B cap registration selection process from a random lottery to a weighted selection process...

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

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...

Donald Dowling says abusive labor practices are a huge problem around the world, and often the smaller local manufacturers, miners and growers within countries that are committing labor...

Illinois employers face new requirements for Equal Pay Registration Certificate submissions as the state Department of Labor eliminates the "prefers not to identify" option for employee demographic data. Starting January 1, 2027, businesses must report definitive sex and race information for all employees, raising questions about data collection methods and compliance strategies.

On August 25, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is scheduled to publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would impose a new $103,265 H-1B fee on every H-1B cap-subject petition.

A federal court in Massachusetts has postponed the Department of Homeland Security rule that would have ended 'duration of status' admissions for F, J, and I nonimmigrants, originally scheduled to take effect September 15, 2026. This preliminary injunction affects students, exchange visitors, foreign media representatives, and their sponsoring institutions, though the postponement is not a final invalidation of the rule and litigation continues.

The Trump Administration has announced that it will not renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) at this time, triggering the agreement’s built-in six-year review process...

On July 24, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the district court judgment that vacated the policy implementing the $100,000 H-1B fee. The administrative stay that reinstated the fee on June 12 is therefore lifted, and the vacatur stands while the government’s appeal proceeds.

On January 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it was extending the designation of Ukraine for Temporary Protected Status (TPS)...

As instability spreads across the Middle East amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, including attacks on oil and other key infrastructure across the region, widespread travel and security disruptions...

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed eliminating the 60-day grace period that currently allows workers in H-1B, L-1, O-1, E, and TN visa categories to remain in the United States after their employment ends. If finalized, this rule would require immediate departure or status change the day after employment termination, fundamentally altering how employers and foreign workers manage job transitions and creating significant compliance challenges for both parties.

Two executive orders signed by President Trump on August 6, 2026, significantly impact foreign nationals traveling to the United States and their sponsoring employers.

On June 8, 2026, in State of California et al. v. Markwayne Mullin et al., the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a decision, vacating the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) policy implementing...

The Department of Homeland Security has finalized a major rule eliminating duration of status for F, J, and I visa holders, replacing it with fixed admission periods tied to program length.