As HR professionals face increasingly complex legal challenges, having a reliable “compass” is critical. Join us for the 14th Annual HR Legal Summit, co-hosted with Ballard Spahr’s Labor & Employment Group, to learn how to navigate the law in an era where workplace regulations shift faster than ever. 

Attendees will take part in interactive sessions led by Ballard Spahr attorneys and industry experts, who turn complex legal topics into clear, actionable guidance for HR professionals.… Continue Reading

Consistent with the Trump Administration’s longstanding stance on “gender ideology,” several recent legal developments have curtailed or sought to limit LGBTQ rights.  Collectively, these actions reflect a broader trend of renewed efforts to limit LGBTQ protections at the federal and state levels.  Despite these efforts, sexual orientation and gender identity remain protected characteristics under federal and many state and local antidiscrimination laws.… Continue Reading

On April 13, 2026, the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill granting graduate assistants at the University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County collective bargaining rights. The bill passed both chambers with amendments, and pending Governor Wes Moore’s signature, the legislation will take effect on July 1, 2028.… Continue Reading

On March 26, 2026, President Trump signed Executive Order 14398, “Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors,” the latest in a series of executive actions targeting DEI practices in the federal contracting space. This latest Executive Order requires federal contractors and subcontractors to affirmatively agree to not participate in “racially discriminatory” activities or risk legal and financial consequences.… Continue Reading

Maryland is set to join a growing number of states banning so-called “captive audience” meetings, in which employers require their employees to hear their views on political or religious matters, including membership in a labor union.  If signed by Governor Wes Moore, the law will be effective October 1, 2026.

Maryland’s SB 417

Maryland’s SB 417 makes it unlawful for an employer to discharge, discipline or otherwise penalize an employee (or threaten these actions), because the employee declines to attend, participate in, or listen to the employer’s communications on political or religious topics in an employer-sponsored meeting. … Continue Reading

In response to President Trump’s Executive Orders taking action against “illegal DEI” programs, individual federal agencies have begun incorporating certification requirements into grant programs, including the General Services Administration (“GSA”).  On January 28, 2026, the GSA announced for public comment its intent to issue a new certification that recipients of federal financial assistance must sign as a condition of receiving federal funds.… Continue Reading

On February 26, 2026, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or the “Board”) published a final rule formally withdrawing its 2023 joint employer regulation and reinstating the narrower 2020 standard for determining joint employer status under the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”).

Under the reinstated 2020 rule, joint employer status only will be found where “two employers share or codetermine the employees’ essential terms and conditions of employment.”… Continue Reading

On February 26, 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a decision on bathroom access in federal workplaces, establishing that intimate spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms, and sleeping quarters in federal settings are to be designated by sex rather than gender identity. In its decision, the EEOC held that “Title VII permits a federal agency employer to maintain single-sex bathrooms and similar intimate spaces.… Continue Reading

On February 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a proposed rule addressing employee versus independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The proposed standard will also apply to employee classification under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA).… Continue Reading

The Department of Labor has issued new guidance, the “Artificial Intelligence Literacy Framework,” detailing the DOL’s aspirations for the adoption of AI by workers, employers, educators, job trainers, and governments.

What is AI Literacy?

According to the DOL framework, AI literacy is “a foundational set of competencies that enable individuals to use and evaluate AI technologies responsibly.”… Continue Reading