Federal Employment Developments

Trump Administration Begins Rolling Back Federal Regulation of Workplaces

September 17, 2025Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, Wage and Hour Laws

A range of initiatives centered in the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) are focused on reducing regulatory requirements for employers and lessening enforcement actions and penalties. These are all occurring at the same time that the Equal Employmen... Read More..

Socioeconomic and First Generation Status Become Substitute “Proxies” for Discrimination – AG Bondi Memo Part III

August 19, 2025Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies

Socioeconomic status, first-generation status, and geographic location are not legally protected characteristics. By that, I mean that it is lawful for an organization to offer benefits and opportunities or make hiring or selection decisions based... Read More..

AG Bondi Memo Part II: When DEI Efforts Will Come Under the DOJ’s Fire

August 14, 2025Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies

What is “unlawful DEI” and when might the federal government come after you for it? While a recent memo issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi overlapped in its categories and examples (as discussed in Read More..

Many Words Saying Little Hide One New Front of Attack: AG Bondi Memo Defining “Unlawful DEI” Part I

August 12, 2025Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies

A new nine-page memo issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi that is intended to provide clarity as to when the federal government considers diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to be unlawful actually adds little to achieve that. The m... Read More..

Focus on Disabilities Part I: When Is an Employee Entitled to a Reasonable Accommodation?

July 23, 2025Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, Leaves and Accommodations

Just because someone with a disability can function without an accommodation does not mean that the individual is not entitled to receive an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). That was the crux of a decision by the U.S... Read More..

End of the Rooney Rule? EEOC Chair’s Memo Flags Standard DEI Initiatives as Potentially Discriminatory

May 27, 2025Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, Workplace Training

Even without a quorum, EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas is working to reshape policy to align with the new administration. A "technical assistance" m... Read More..

Employment Law in Trump’s First 100 Days Part V: Taking the States to Task

May 8, 2025Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies

The Trump administration’s challenge to discrimination protections based on a disparate impact theory extends beyond federal regulations. The April 23, 2025, executive order additionally directs the Attorney General to identify all state laws or ... Read More..

Employment Law in Trump’s First 100 Days Part IV: Look at the Title VI Regs Being Cut

May 8, 2025Federal Employment Developments, Harassment/Discrimination

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin by entities receiving federal financial assistance, including federal government contractors and grant recipients. As discussed in our prior... Read More..

Employment Law in Trump’s First 100 Days Part III: Is the Administration Able to End Federal Disparate Impact Theory?