On March 19, 2025, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) and the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) released joint “technical assistance documents” (i.e., non-binding interpretive guidelines for...more
3/20/2025
/ Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Executive Orders ,
Harassment ,
Race Discrimination ,
Retaliation ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Title VII
A federal district court in Maryland has temporarily enjoined enforcement of several key aspects of two recent DEI-related executive orders from the Trump Administration – Executive Order 14151 (Ending Radical and Wasteful...more
2/25/2025
/ Affirmative Action ,
Compliance ,
Constitutional Challenges ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
Fifth Amendment ,
First Amendment ,
Preliminary Injunctions ,
Trump Administration
In the wake of President Trump’s “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” Executive Order (the “Executive Order”) (discussed further here), many companies are in the process of revisiting their...more
President Trump has issued a flurry of wide-ranging executive orders intended to shake up the employment landscape. One of those orders, entitled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” (the...more
1/24/2025
/ Affirmative Action ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Compliance ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Contractors ,
OFCCP ,
OMB ,
Rehabilitation Act ,
Subcontractors ,
Trump Administration
In the latest episode of the Mintz on Air: Predictions and Practical Policies Podcast, ESG Co-chair Jen Rubin hosts a thoughtful discussion on diversity diversions and the future of DEI programs under the new administration....more
A gentle reminder for California employers: the clock is ticking on your obligations to prepare a workplace violence prevention plan and conduct a training session on that plan under California’s new violence prevention plan...more
By now you have probably heard of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s rule to ban most post-employment non-compete agreements... While much of the conversation has naturally focused on the rule’s significant impact on...more
The agenda for Mintz’s Annual Employment Law Summit taking place on May 15th in San Diego is now available!
This year, we are thrilled to feature Hon. William McCurine as our keynote speaker.
The segments this year...more
5/7/2024
/ Affirmative Action ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Anti-Harassment Policies ,
Best Practices ,
C-Suite Executives ,
California ,
Chief Compliance Officers ,
Chief Diversity Officer (CDOs) ,
Continuing Legal Education ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Data Reporting ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Events ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Violence
Beginning July 1, 2024, a new California law (SB 553) will require most California employers to establish workplace violence prevention plans. We answer 10 frequently asked questions about the new law below....more
4/9/2024
/ Cal-OSHA ,
California ,
Deadlines ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Labor Reform ,
New Legislation ,
Policies and Procedures ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety ,
Workplace Violence ,
Workplace Violence Prevention Programs
This Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance in California. As a reminder, February 14, 2024 also marks the deadline for employers to show their employees a different kind of love – love in the form of an explicit,...more
ESG is today’s political football. As Americans take sides and root for their home teams, companies find themselves at the crux of a battlefield that pitches corporate values, strategy, and reputation against a shifting and...more
On the heels of the New York and FTC non-competition legislation (discussed here and here), Governor Newsom recently signed an amendment to California’s non-compete ban into law. The amendment, S.B. 699, takes effect on...more
9/19/2023
/ Amended Legislation ,
CA Supreme Court ,
California ,
Enforcement ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Injunctive Relief ,
Labor Code ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Non-Solicitation Agreements ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Retroactive Application
The California Supreme Court has closed the door on the employer-friendly rule the U.S. Supreme Court set out in the case of Viking River Cruises Inc. v. Moriana. There, the Supreme Court held that employees could waive their...more
7/26/2023
/ Arbitration ,
CA Supreme Court ,
California ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) ,
SCOTUS ,
Standing ,
Uber ,
Viking River Cruises ,
Viking River Cruises Inc v Moriana
Cal/OSHA revised its Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”) following its mid-December meeting and, more recently, made additional revisions to align with the California Department of Public Health’s recommendations. We...more
UPDATE: The U.S. Supreme Court held a special hearing on January 7, 2022, and is expected to rule soon on whether OSHA may proceed with its Emergency Temporary Standard for large employers. The Court is also considering...more
UPDATE: Following its original announcement, the CDC further updated its guidance to apply the 5 day quarantine rule to those who are asymptomatic but now also to those whose symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24...more
UPDATE: Following its original announcement, the CDC further updated its guidance to apply the 5 day quarantine rule to those who are asymptomatic but now also to those whose symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24...more
The CDC announced changes on December 27, 2021 to its isolation and quarantine period recommendations for those who test positive or are exposed to COVID-19. Our guidance for the workplace follows.
Updated CDC Guidance...more
12/29/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enforcement ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
OSHA ,
Public Health ,
Quarantine ,
SCOTUS ,
Sick Employees ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
California has once again reined in the use of confidentiality provisions in the employment context with its recent enactment of the Silenced No More Act (SB 331), which goes into effect January 1, 2022.
California...more
California employers and executives might view fixed term employment agreements in a new light following a California appellate court’s unpublished decision suggesting employers do not violate California’s long-established...more
UPDATE: A federal appeals court (the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals) permanently blocked OSHA’s vaccine rule on November 12, 2021, citing to “serious constitutional concerns” with the rule. This is not the end of the...more
11/30/2021
/ Appeals ,
Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Enforcement ,
Health and Safety ,
OSHA ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
The Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has released its long-awaited Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) pertaining to workplace COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements for employers with 100 or...more
11/5/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Rules ,
OSHA ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
California employers are now subject to three new COVID-19 related reporting obligations when there is a COVID-19 positive employee or employees in their workplaces, including: reporting to their (1) workers’ compensation...more
Imagine that after weeks of working remotely due to COVID-19, you return to your office only to discover a stack of papers on your desk in a folder titled “requests for reimbursement.” You peer through the contents and find...more
In Part Five of our Roadmap Series, we take a closer look at COVID-19 screening and testing, including best practices and legal implications, as potential tools to maintain a safe workplace.
Can We Screen Our Employees...more