Takeaways

  1. Starting July 1, Los Angeles will gradually increase the minimum wage for airport and hotel workers.
  2. Eligible employees will also receive a healthcare benefit payment.
  3. LAX concessionaires with 50 or fewer employees may be eligible for a hardship exemption.

Starting in July of this year and continuing through 2028, Los Angeles is poised to implement incremental increases to its minimum wage for airport and hotel workers, impacting businesses throughout the city. The new wage adjustments are part of ongoing efforts to address the anticipated increase in tourism for the FIFA World Cup in 2026, Super Bowl LXI in 2027, and the Summer Olympics in 2028 and ensure fair compensation for workers impacted by these impending events.Continue Reading Attention L.A. Employers: Minimum Wage Increases Ahead for LAX and Los Angeles Hotel Workers

Since inauguration, the Trump Administration has targeted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (“DEIA”) programs across both public and private sectors. The administration’s stated goal is to eliminate what it describes as unlawful employment and contracting practices in the public and private sectors.Continue Reading Navigating the New Framework: Strategies for Compliance Amid the New Administration’s DEI Rollbacks

In an 11th-hour compromise late on February 20th, the Michigan Legislature passed an amendment to the Earned Sick Time Act that was scheduled to go into effect on February 21st. The amendatory act addresses many of the provisions of the ESTA that employers found most onerous while keeping in place the basic contours of the original law. Among the changes:Continue Reading Michigan’s Last-Minute Sick Leave Overhaul: Key Changes Employers Need to Know

President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) on January 21, 2025, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit Based Opportunity.” This EO addresses multiple areas, but of particular significance to federal government contractors is the revocation of EO 11246.Continue Reading The Shakeup Begins: President Trump Issues Executive Order That Severely Limits Affirmative Action Obligations for Federal Government Contractors

As the devastating wildfires continue to burn across Southern California, businesses and employers in the area face unprecedented challenges. The fires, which have scorched more than 30,000 acres of land and have now lasted more than two weeks, are wreaking havoc on both communities and workplaces. With the situation continuing to evolve, employers must be mindful of the legal rights of their employees, especially when it comes to safety, leaves of absence, and workplace accommodations during such a crisis.

The following are key employment rights employers need to consider as they navigate the impact of the ongoing wildfires on their workforce.Continue Reading Critical Considerations for Employers During Southern California’s Wildfire Crisis: Supporting the Workforce and Business Continuity

The United States Supreme Court issued an important decision for employers on January 15, 2025, where It held that employers do not have a heightened standard of proof to show that an employee is exempt from the “white collar” exemptions from minimum wage and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”).Continue Reading U.S. Supreme Court Clarifies Employers’ Burden To Prove FLSA White Collar Exemptions, but Questions Persist Regarding Salary Requirements

Wage Transparency Act of 2024 – D.C. Act 25-367

On January 12, 2024, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., signed DC Act 25-367, amending the Wage Transparency Act of 2014 (the “Act”) to require private employers to include salary information in job postings and prohibit them from asking applicants about salary history.

The Act and its…

At the end of the 2024 legislative session, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed several bills into law, which amended several employment-related statutes addressing paid sick and leave time, pregnancy accommodation and leave, restrictive covenants, and employee misclassification.Continue Reading 2025 Minnesota Labor and Employment Legal Updates

Mothering Justice Decision

On July 31, 2024, the Michigan Supreme Court decided Mothering Justice et al. v. Attorney General et al. In that case, the Court reinstated two laws, the Earned Sick Time Act and the Improved Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, that appeared on the Michigan state ballot in September 2018. After having been voted upon, the Michigan legislature amended both laws. In Mothering Justice, the Court found this amendment process to be unlawful and reinstated both laws as drafted in 2018, effective on February 21, 2025. Each has major implications for Michigan employers, as explained below:Continue Reading 2025 Michigan Labor and Employment Legal Updates

Institutions of Higher Education Can No Longer Establish or Maintain DEI Offices

Texas is one of several states that have implemented laws aimed at eliminating DEI offices and initiatives for publicly funded institutions.

Effective January 1, 2024, Texan institutions of higher education (e.g., the University of Texas) are no longer permitted to establish or maintain diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) offices or hire/assign employees (or officers or contractors) to perform any DEI-like job duties. Further, Texas institutions may not require applicants or employees to provide DEI statements or give preference to any applicants or employees on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. And finally, the law requires these institutions to “adopt policies and procedures for appropriately disciplining, including by termination, an employee or contractor” who violates the law.Continue Reading 2025 Texas Labor and Employment Legal Updates