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Gerardo Medina

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Gerardo Medina is an associate attorney in Dykema’s Chicago office, specializing in labor and employment law. He excels at crafting strategic, tailored solutions for clients, whether through negotiation, mediation, or litigation. His meticulous approach and thorough preparation equip his clients with the confidence they need to make informed decisions.

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Takeaways

  • DEI programs that involve quotas, restrict participation, or employ diversity-based selection criteria face heightened legal risk.
  • Employers may need to revisit DEI training content to avoid claims of discrimination or hostile work environments.
  • Proactive compliance reviews in 2025 can help employers reduce litigation and enforcement exposure heading into 2026.

As 2025 comes to a close, all U.S. employers face several important legislative and regulatory updates that reshape the workplace landscape heading into 2026, related to changes in federal law. A summary of such important updates applicable to all employers is provided below:Continue Reading 2025–2026 Federal Labor & Employment Law Update: EEOC and DOJ Signal Heightened Scrutiny of DEI Programs

Takeaways

  • New amendments significantly restrict how employers draft employment, separation, and settlement agreements.
  • Expanded leave laws require immediate policy and handbook updates.
  • New AI restrictions directly impact recruiting, hiring, and other employment decisions, with notice and anti-discrimination requirements.

As 2025 draws to a close, employers should be aware of new Illinois employment laws going into effect in January 2026.

Below is a summary of the upcoming changes to Illinois law:Continue Reading 2026 Illinois Employment Law Update: New Compliance Obligations on AI, Leave, Pay, and Workplace Agreements

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

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (“EEOC”) Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace

The EEOC’s Enforcement Guidance guidelines on harassment in the Workplace were issued on April 29, 2024. In the guidance, the EEOC presents a legal analysis of standards for harassment and employer liability applicable to claims of harassment under the EEO statutes enforced by the Commission. The guidance sets forth the EEOC’s position on its definition of “protected characteristics” and identifies workplace behaviors that rise to the level of harassment. These include prohibitions on work-related harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; sexual orientation; and gender identity), national origin, disability, genetic information, and age (40 or over).Continue Reading Labor and Employment 2025 Federal Legal Updates

With 2025 quickly approaching, Illinois employers should be aware of new changes in Illinois state employment laws. There are a number of Illinois employment laws and amendments that have either recently gone into effect or are set to go into effect January 1, 2025. This post is a summary of the new laws that went into effect or will be in effect in 2025 to help Illinois employers be ready to comply with all the new changes.Continue Reading Illinois Labor and Employment 2025 Employment Law Update