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
Department of Labor Issues “AI Literacy” Framework for Workers, Employers, and Educators
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
DOL Sets New Minimum Wage Rates for Certain Federal Contracts
On February 6, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued a Notice announcing new minimum wage rates for workers performing work on or in connection with federal contracts covered by the 2014 Obama-era Executive Order 13658, which established a minimum wage for federal contractors and subcontractors. Effective May 11, 2026, the minimum wage for certain federal contracts will be $13.65 per hour for regular employees and $9.55 per hour for tipped employees.… Continue Reading
Department of Justice Sues Minneapolis Public Schools for Discrimination under Title VII Alleging Preferential Treatment for Teachers of Color
On December 10, 2025, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in Minnesota federal court against Minneapolis Public Schools (“MPS”) Special School District No. 1, its Board of Directors, and the MPS Superintendent. The Complaint alleges that the Defendants are discriminating against teachers based on their race, color, sex, and national origin in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, based on provisions in the Defendants’ collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the teachers’ union.… Continue Reading
Senate Confirms Executive Nominees to the EEOC and DOL
Earlier last month, the Senate confirmed over 100 of President Trump’s nominees en bloc in a 51‑47 party-line vote. The confirmed nominees included Brittany Bull Panuccio as an EEOC Commissioner, Andrew Rogers as Administrator of the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division, Jonathan Berry as Solicitor for the DOL.
EEOC Commissioner Brittany Bull Panuccio
Prior to her May 6, 2025, nomination by President Trump, Panuccio worked as an assistant US Attorney in Florida handling criminal and civil appeals.… Continue Reading
DOL Announces Spring 2025 Regulatory Agenda
After briefly releasing — and then quickly withdrawing — its regulatory agenda last week, the Department of Labor (DOL) has republished its Spring 2025 unified agenda. According to the DOL’s press release, the Spring 2025 agenda reflects a focus on transparency, deregulatory actions, and clarifying employer obligations across a range of labor and employment issues.… Continue Reading
U.S. Department of Labor Self-Audit PAID Program Returns, Allowing Employers to Identify and Resolve FLSA and FMLA Violations
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced several self-audit programs to assist employers, unions, and benefit plan officials with voluntarily assessing and correcting their compliance with federal labor laws. One of those programs is the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. The PAID program encourages employers to self-identify and resolve minimum wage and overtime violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and certain leave violations under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).… Continue Reading
Department of Labor Creates Temporary Office of Immigration Policy
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently confirmed the establishment of a temporary Office of Immigration Policy, aimed at enhancing how DOL administers employment‑based immigration programs.
The new office comes amid growing employer reliance on legal immigration pathways to ensure a “timely, qualified, and stable workforce” through improved visa access as border and interior enforcement has intensified.… Continue Reading
President Trump’s Budget Goes To Work Against Enforcement Agencies with Significant Cuts to DOL and NLRB
President Trump’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 includes substantial reductions to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) budget and staff. The proposed discretionary budget is slashed from $13.5 billion to $9 billion, reducing it by one third. The number of employees is reduced by nearly 4,000 from 14,855 to 10,879—or a more than 25% cut. … Continue Reading
Congress Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Provide Federal Paid Family Leave Funding for States
On April 30, 2025, Congressional Representatives Stephanie Bice (R-Oklahoma) and Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pennsylvania) introduced the More Paid Leave for More Americans Act in the House of Representatives.
The bill would develop a three-year pilot program administered by the federal Department of Labor (DOL) that would provide grant funding to states that establish paid family leave programs in partnership with private companies.… Continue Reading