Workplace Law Update: 10 Essential Items on Your March To-Do List

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Get primed on Trump’s whirlwind start. Not to start this recap by pointing you to another one – but we’ve got a lot to cover. The Trump administration’s first few weeks alone included major policy shifts on a wide range of workplace law issues. In case you missed it, here’s our 21-day recap for employers.

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Keep refining DEI strategies as changes unfold. The spotlight on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is intensifying. A Maryland federal court blocked enforcement of two anti-DEI executive orders while a new lawsuit challenging their constitutionality plays out in court, and 16 states are taking a stand against the administration’s actions. In this time of uncertainty, you should frequently check our DEI FAQs for updates.

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Reassess federal labor law matters. Recent shakeups within the National Labor Relations Board have led employers to seek clarity on the current state of the agency. But one thing is certain: its new Acting General Counsel, who just rolled back many policies issued by his predecessor, will be shifting directions on U.S. labor law. Here’s what employers should do now that Trump’s Board has set the stage for a new labor policy.

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Get to know new U.S. safety nominees. Trump recently nominated David Keeling, a workplace safety veteran with experience at UPS and Amazon, to lead OSHA, and Wayne Palmer, a former executive for an industrial minerals trade association, to take the helm at MSHA. Stay tuned for their confirmation hearings, which may shed light on their policy priorities. In the meantime, you can celebrate a pivotal state safety ruling that could have national reach.

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Prepare for H-1B Season. Employers planning to sponsor foreign workers should be aware of these important updates to the H-1B cap registration process for FY2026, which will open at noon Eastern on March 7 and run through noon Eastern on March 24.

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Catch up on other immigration news. Start here for five key immigration actions impacting employers just weeks into Trump’s second term. Then, read here for more on Attorney General Pam Bondi’s aggressive immigration stance and here if you have any employees who might be affected by the changes to Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status.

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Don’t sleep on state law updates. After a long, convoluted battle, two Michigan laws that boost the state’s minimum wage and paid sick leave rights finally took effect on February 21 – but not before another plot twist. Gov. Whitmer swooped in that same day to approve legislation that gives employers at least some relief from the new rules and delays or changes some deadlines. In addition, New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act will take effect March 4 (except for a few delayed provisions due to changes enacted February 14), and Ohio’s new paystub transparency law will take effect April 8. Additionally, the Supreme Court just issued a decision that raises big implications for workplace claims brought under state law.

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Remember that HR is about humans. The constant barrage of legal and political news has a lot of the country feeling a bit burned out. Consider taking a step back to determine if you’ve been distracted from less novel but no less important issues that have a very real impact on your workforce. For example, here’s how you can support sandwich generation employees who must juggle their careers with both childcare and elder care responsibilities, and here’s your five-step plan for handling the worst U.S. flu season since 2009.