The New York City Council recently voted to override the veto of Mayor Eric Adams and pass two laws aimed at increasing pay equity and transparency. These laws amend the administrative code of the City of New York and will require private employers with 200 or more employees in the City to annually report certain workforce demographic data to the City. … Continue Reading
Fourth Circuit Reminds Employees of Their Obligation to Engage in the ADA’s Interactive Process
The Fourth Circuit recently reminded employees of their shared obligation to participate in the interactive process with their employer when requesting a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). The case, Tarquinio v. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, No. 24-1432 (4th Cir. 2025), makes clear that employees must provide their employers with requested documentation and information where the connection between their disability and its limitations on their work is not obvious. … Continue Reading
2025 HR Legal Summit: Sessions and Speakers Announced
Ballard Spahr LLP’s Labor and Employment Group, in collaboration with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of SHRM (SEPA SHRM), is pleased to present our sessions and speakers for the upcoming HR Legal Summit. This program is designed for HR professionals and in-house counsel to stay informed on legal trends and developments, ensuring compliance and effective management of workplace issues.… Continue Reading
Are You Ready for an NLRB Quorum? It May be Coming!
On July 17, 2025, the White House sent a series of nominations to the Senate, including nominations for two National Labor Relations Board members – Scott Mayer and James Murphy. If confirmed, the nominees would join sitting Board Members Marvin E. Kaplan (Chair) and David Prouty, to create a quorum at the Board for the first time in almost six months. … Continue Reading
NLRB Acting General Counsel Says Secretly Recording Union Negotiations is Unlawful
The National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) Acting General Counsel recently concluded that surreptitious recordings of collective bargaining sessions is a per se violation of the National Labor Relations Act (the Act). In the memo issued to NLRB regional offices on June 25, 2025, Acting General Counsel William B. Cowen instructed regions to issue a complaint, alleging bad faith bargaining, if an investigation reveals surreptitious recording occurred. … Continue Reading
Maryland Delays Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Again & Clarifies Parental Leave Law
Maryland Postpones the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI)
On May 6, 2025, Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed into law HB 102, delaying the start date of Maryland’s highly anticipated paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program (“FAMLI”). Maryland employers and employees now will begin making contributions to the insurance program on January 1, 2027. … Continue Reading
NLRB Acting General Counsel Rescinds Numerous Biden-Era Guidance Memoranda
The National Labor Relations Board’s Acting General Counsel has moved quickly to undo the work of his predecessor, a Biden appointee, who President Trump recently removed from office. On February 14, 2025, Acting General Counsel William B. Cowen rescinded more than a dozen guidance memoranda that many employers considered to be significantly favorable to unions. … Continue Reading
NLRB Bans Captive Audience Meetings and Limits Employer Campaign Statements in Recent Cases
Reversing decades of precedent, the National Labor Relations Board (“Board”) issued two recent decisions that will significantly restrict the right of employers to provide information to their employees about the impact of unionization. Both cases were decided by a 3-1 majority of the Board’s Democratic members, in what appears to be an eleventh-hour push to change well-settled law in advance of the Trump administration taking the reins next year.… Continue Reading
Maryland Employers: Six Must-Know Employment Law Changes
The Maryland legislature recently passed several laws that affect pay transparency, family and medical leave, the scope of the State’s antidiscrimination laws, workplace safety, and noncompete agreements. As many of these new laws already have taken effect, now is the time for Maryland employers to take steps to ensure compliance.
On October 1, 2024, Maryland joined a host of other states requiring pay transparency in internal and external job postings.… Continue Reading
NLRB To End Practice of Consent Orders, Overruling UPMC
In a 3-1 decision, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) ended the agency’s practice of approving “consent orders,” which permitted an administrative law judge to resolve an unfair labor practice case before adjudication based on terms offered solely by the respondent. The Board’s decision will make it more difficult for employers to settle cases at the NLRB unless they are willing to accept the full remedy sought by the general counsel. … Continue Reading