Workplace whiplash: NLRB returns to 2020 joint employer rule
3/6/26
By: Cori Agnoni
The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “the Board”) recently announced the readoption of the narrower 2020 joint employer rule (29 C.F.R. § 103.40) for determining joint employer status. Returning to the stricter standard reduces potential exposure, …
Ohio mini-WARN Act expands requirements employers must follow in mass layoffs
3/2/26
By: Kim Ullner
As more layoffs are announced in the news, it’s a good time for Ohio employers to be sure they are complying with federal and state notice requirements. While many human resource officers are familiar with the federal …
2/27/26
It is well known that employers frequently run criminal background checks on job applicants as part of the hiring process. Pennsylvania’s Criminal History Record Information Act (“CHRIA”), however, protects job applicants from being disqualified from employment by …
2/23/26
By: Nicholas Franos
In Hamm v. Pullman SST, the Sixth Circuit upheld summary judgment for Pullman SST against Kevin Hamm’s complaints of harassment and claim of retaliation. This decision serves as a strong reminder for employers that the implementation …
Pennsylvania court ruling finds home health nurses were misclassified as independent contractors
2/23/26
By: Sunshine Fellows
A recent decision from a Pennsylvania federal court underscores the continued legal risk associated with classifying healthcare workers, particularly home health nurses, as independent contractors. In granting summary judgment on liability, the court in Lori Chavez-Deremer, Sec’y …
2/23/26
By: Sunshine Fellows
A recent decision from the National Labor Relations Board involving Harvard University serves as a reminder that employers conducting sensitive workplace investigations, particularly those implicating harassment or discrimination concerns, must carefully navigate overlapping obligations under federal labor …
Historic Pittsburgh Post-Gazette closure highlights labor law stakes for employers
1/9/26
By: Sunshine Fellows
In a development that has reverberated across the Pittsburgh region and beyond, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, one of America’s oldest continuously published newspapers, has announced it will cease publication on May 3, 2026, after nearly 240 years in …
NLRB quorum restored: What employers need to know
1/9/26
By: Sunshine Fellows
After nearly a year of operational uncertainty, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is once again fully empowered to act. On December 18, 2025, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Scott Mayer and James Murphy to the …
A measured shift in Title VI enforcement: what employers and HR leaders should know
12/15/25
By: Sunshine Fellows
On December 9, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice finalized revisions to its Title VI regulations under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The updated rule narrows DOJ enforcement exclusively to cases involving intentional discrimination, eliminating regulatory …
Anti-American bias in the spotlight: EEOC targets immigration related employment practices
12/1/25
By: Sunshine Fellows
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued new materials highlighting unlawful anti-American bias under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While national origin discrimination has long been prohibited, the EEOC’s refreshed technical assistance and …
What employers should expect when the government reopens: Key considerations for the days ahead
11/14/25
By: Sunshine Fellows
After more than 40 days of disruption, the longest U.S. government shutdown in history is nearing its end. Triggered by a lapse in appropriations on October 1, 2025, the shutdown has deeply impacted federal agencies, contractors and …
11/11/25
By: Sunshine Fellows
Imagine hiring a new manager who never sleeps, never takes a vacation and never complains. Sounds perfect, right? But what if that manager is an algorithm? In today’s workplace, that’s not science fiction. It’s reality. AI systems …