Workplace Bully Debate – Legislation Or Proactive Company Policies?

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.

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

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...

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

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.

In July 2026, the Department of Labor’s internal watchdog (its Office of Inspector General) said it is investigating fraud and worker abuse (such as fake applications and schemes where workers are forced to pay back part of their wages) in the H-1B program and the PERM green card process.

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.

Scott L. Vernick was quoted in The Legal Intelligencer article, "Did UPMC Data Breach Ruling Lock Plaintiffs Out of State Court?" on January 23, 2017.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) just published its Health Products Compliance Guidance ("Guidance"), which it issued to replace an advertising guide from 1998 focused on dietary supplements.

Fox Rothschild was among three first-time entrants into the Am Law 100 this year, jumping up 10 spots from a year ago.

Earlier today, the Department of Justice announced that construction conglomerate Odebrecht SA and its affiliate Braskem SA have pleaded guilty to their maintenance of an elaborate bribery scheme...

Christopher J. Pippett was featured in the Credit Union Times article, "Feds Uncover New Details in CFO Embezzlement."

A new law signed by Governor Newsom, AB 1609, requires large private businesses to disclose when the customer service agent they are using is an AI bot and provide customers with timely access to quality customer service.

Beginning January 1, 2027, consumers will be able to request deletion of covered personal information that a business collected “from or about” them. This is a significant expansion from the current CCPA language that only applies to information collected “from” the consumer. This may include appended contact information, demographic data, marketing segments, identity-resolution data and other information used to enrich a consumer profile.

Mossack Fonseca. Before April 2016, most of us had never even heard of a Panamanian law firm by that name.

As discussed in this space in past posts, our federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) contains a handful of exceptions, the most famous of which is the "Mrs. Murphy Exemption."

We reported previously on DreamWorks Animation's payment of $50 million to settle a class action antitrust suit.