Business, Management, Marketing, Money, Tax, Law, People

Quick Hits New York enacted amendments to the Trapped at Work Act that delay its effective date to December 19, 2026. The law’s central prohibition is unchanged in purpose but sharpened in phrasing; Employers may not require, as a condition of employment, that an employee or applicant execute an employment promissory note. The statute defines such a note as any instrument, agreement, or contract provision that requires an employee to…

Quick Hits The Fifth Senate of Germany’s Federal Labor Court clarified that remuneration in the event of default of acceptance (Section 615 sentence 1 BGB) cannot be contractually excluded in advance in the event of an invalid termination by the employer or a termination that only takes effect later. Although the provision can, in principle, be contractually amended, this does not apply to the protection of livelihood. Remuneration is a…

Quick Hits The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 (CAA 2026) represents the most sweeping federal effort to date to regulate pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Most of the changes will not take effect until 2029 (for calendar year plans). At the center of the CAA 2026: full pass-through of rebates and required compensation disclosure by PBMs. The CAA 2026 represents the most sweeping federal legislative effort to regulate the pharmacy benefit…

Quick Hits An Ontario labour arbitrator accepted eyewitness evidence of an employee’s cannabis use based on the distinct smell of marijuana, finding this constituted “clear and cogent evidence” even without formal drug recognition training. The employee’s dismissal was reduced to a three-month suspension because the employer did not prove observable impairment—only that cannabis was consumed during working hours. The employer’s delayed response—waiting until the next day to escalate the concern—eliminated…

Quick Hits The State Department updated the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) to broaden B-1 visa eligibility for foreign nationals involved in installing, servicing, and training related to commercial or industrial equipment purchased from foreign companies. A new “Specialized Trainers” category has been added to the FAM, allowing foreign nationals to enter the United States on a B-1 visa to train U.S. workers on specialized or proprietary techniques, skills, or know-how…

Quick Hits Trucking employers must pay Washington-based drivers 1.5 times the regular rate for hours worked over forty per week, or the “reasonable equivalent” of overtime. In Bostain v. Food Express, Inc., Washington’s Supreme Court held that the MWA applies to interstate drivers regardless of where the drivers are performing the work. Noncompliance can be very costly, and violations can result in double damages under Washington law. Employers with Washington…

Quick Hits Multinational employers planning workforce reductions must complete required consultations before making any global announcements or cutting system access. Many countries require mandatory government notifications even for single terminations, not just mass layoffs. A global reduction in force is not a single event—it is a coordinated series of local processes, each with its own rules, timelines, and execution formalities. This U.S.-centric approach, when implemented outside the United States, routinely…

Quick Hits The FTC said in a policy statement that it will take a relaxed COPPA enforcement position for certain website and online service operators that collect personal information solely for determining a user’s age without first obtaining parental consent if specific conditions are met. The FTC’s policy statement applies only to “general” and “mixed” audience operators of websites and online services, not operators that target children as their primary…

On February 18, 2026, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) released a draft revised Supporting Statement providing the text of this proposed certification, which would be added to the registration process for the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), the federal database where entities must register to receive federal funding. The certification requirement implements Executive Order (EO) No. 14173, “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity,” and the U.S. attorney general’s…

Quick Hits The NLRB issued a final rule that reinstates the 2020 standard for joint employer status, formally withdrawing a broader 2023 rule struck down in federal court.  The rule narrows the meaning of “essential terms and conditions of employment” for joint employer status purposes to wages, benefits, hours of work, hiring, discharge, discipline, supervision, and direction. The return to the 2020 rule provides greater clarity and predictability for employers,…

Quick Hits Sleeping malware delays the cyber attack making it difficult for organisations to pinpoint where the threat has come from, and often can remain undetected making it too late to stop the attack. Attacks can result in business disruption, loss of personal data, and reputational damage. Organisations cannot entirely eliminate risk, but they can take precautions to reduce exposure and increase the likelihood of early detection and effective response.…