The State of Texas asked the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this week to reconsider its case challenging the validity of the entire Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). Texas filed suit against the federal government shortly after President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act in December 2022, claiming the PWFA could not be
Puerto Rico Strengthens Breastfeeding Protections for Workers
Effective August 1, 2025, Puerto Rico’s new Lactation/Breastfeeding Code significantly expands workplace protections for nursing employees. The law guarantees paid lactation breaks, requires dedicated spaces, and imposes penalties for noncompliance.
In a new article, Sara Colón-Acevedo, Karina Rodríguez, and Tatiana Leal-González break down what employers need to know to ensure compliance and avoid penalties. Read
EEOC Is Permanently Enjoined From Enforcing Portions of PWFA Final Regulations and EEOC’s Title VII Guidance On Harassment in the Workplace Against Catholic Employer Organization
On April 15, 2025, the United States District Court for the District of North Dakota issued its decision granting partial summary judgment to the Catholic Benefits Association, on behalf of its members and the Bismarck Diocese (collectively the CBA). The court found that the portions of the PWFA Final Regulations that require employers to reasonably
EEOC Issues New Guidance on Wearable Technologies: Key Points for Employers
As more employers incorporate wearable technology in the workplace, including those enhanced by artificial intelligence, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)’s new fact sheet “Wearables in the Workplace: The Use of Wearables and Other Monitoring Technology Under Federal Employment Discrimination Laws,” offers important considerations for employers. The EEOC explains how employers can navigate
Election Day Paid Leave: Puerto Rico
Employers in Puerto Rico may have to allow some employees time off to vote on Election Day. Our colleagues Juan Felipe Santos, Ana B. Rosado-Frontanés & Marcia C. Laurido Soto provide important reminders for Puerto Rico employers here.
California Employers Should Review Recent Changes in Managing Employee Leave under Paid Family Leave
New legislation goes into effect on January 1, 2025 eliminating employers’ ability to require employees to use accrued vacation leave before accessing California’s Paid Family Leave Program. You can read more about this change here from Jackson Lewis attorney Angela S. Rho.
California Amends Jury, Court Attendance and Victim Time Off Provisions
California Governor Newsom recently signed a bill impacting employers’ obligations when it comes to providing time off for jury duty, court attendance and for employees who are victims of certain crimes along with their family members. Jackson Lewis attorney Sayaka Karitani explains these developments here.
California’s SB 1105: What Agricultural Employers Should Know About Expanded Use of Paid Sick Leave
Jackson Lewis attorneys Monica Bullock and Briana Antuna provide an insightful analysis of Senate Bill 1105, which expands paid sick leave for agricultural employees to include emergencies like smoke, heat, or flooding. This change takes effect on January 1, 2025. Read their take on this important legislative update here.
Scope of Accommodations Required Under PWFA Narrowed in Louisiana and Mississippi
On the eve of the effective date of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC’s) final Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) regulations (Final Rule), a federal court in Louisiana postponed the effective date of what the court describes as the “Final Rule’s requirement that covered entities provide accommodation for the elective abortions of employees that are
DOL Issues Guidance to Agency Staff on Employers’ Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has published a Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) on the application of federal labor standards to employers’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other automated systems in the workplace. Bulletins provide guidance to field staff on enforcing the federal statutes administered by the WHD.