Labor & Employment Law Update

On April 21, 2025, a California Court of Appeal held employees working six hours or less in a single workday can prospectively waive their mandatory meal periods. The ruling provided clarification on a long-standing question: whether a meal period waiver must be executed each time an employee chooses to skip their break, or if a single, advance waiver is legally sufficient under California law.

On May 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced it is reconsidering the 2024 Independent Contractor Rule (2024 Rule), which made it more difficult for businesses to classify independent contractors under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This announcement signals the likelihood that the 2024 Rule will be rescinded under the new Trump Administration and may be replaced with a rule that applies a more business-friendly standard.

The Seventh Circuit recently ruled that a non-disabled employee can recover damages under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) under certain conditions. Learn how this decision will impact employers in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

On April 29, 2025, the Missouri Supreme Court issued an opinion upholding the state's paid sick time law and significant increase in minimum wage, otherwise known as Proposition A. Consequently, the law went into full effect for most Missouri employers on May 1, 2025. Accordingly, Missouri employers must ensure they are compliant with Proposition A’s minimum wage increase and paid sick time requirements.

Today’s employment environment requires companies large and small to be deliberate when designing their compensation strategy. Our panelists presented a high-level overview of the options available to executive teams when designing compensation packages that align with key business goals and objectives. Read the top takeaways from this presentation. 

In the wake the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 2024 decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, some federal courts feel compelled or justified applying the same rationale to lower the standard to prove up workplace harassment claims. This will likely pave the way for more workplace harassment lawsuits to reach a jury, which in turn will lead to more harassment lawsuits being filed against employers.

On April 2, 2025, United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it will extend the work authorization for individuals who are in the U.S. on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from Venezuela through April 2, 2026.  Employers should take note when completing the Form I-9 and E-Verify for new and current employees.

Missouri’s paid sick time law, Proposition A, is scheduled to go into effect on May 1, 2025. While the constitutionality of Proposition A is currently being challenged under a state lawsuit before Missouri’s Supreme Court and Missouri’s General Assembly is considering legislation to repeal the mandate altogether, the paid sick time requirements are still on course to take effect May 1.

In today’s competitive talent marketplace, traditional compensation models alone are no longer enough to attract and retain top performers. Explore innovative approaches to total rewards that can help drive measurable business outcomes and increase employee retention and engagement on April 16.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently announced that it will be examining DEI programs for potential violations of Title VII following President Trump’s executive orders regarding DEI programs and the federal court review that followed.