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Quick Hits New clause FAR 52.222-90 declares contractor compliance “material” to the government’s payment decisions, creating direct False Claims Act liability for contractors who maintain prohibited programs. Agencies must bilaterally modify existing contracts to include the new clause by July 24, 2026, and if a contractor refuses, agencies are told to consider whether the contract should be terminated for convenience. Prime contractors must flow the clause down to all tiers…

Quick Hits The minimum wage in the U.S. Virgin Islands will increase to $12.00 per hour starting April 24, 2026, The increase is part of recent amendments enacted in January 2026 that call for annual increases to the minimum wage rate each year until 2028 and call for potential future adjustments by the Virgin Islands Wage Board after 2029.  Employers may want to review and update their wage schedules and…

Quick Hits The WHO and several other organizations have jointly developed “Framework Guidelines for Addressing Workplace Violence in the Health Sector,” signaling a unified global commitment to ending workplace violence in healthcare. Despite the absence of a federal OSHA standard, the agency is actively investigating and citing employers that fail to protect healthcare workers from workplace violence. Several states have also taken the initiative to provide workplace violence prevention requirements…

Quick Hits Starting no later than January 3, 2028, the FAMLI program will provide most Maryland employees with up to twelve weeks of paid leave for certain family and medical reasons, with a possible additional twelve weeks of leave for parental bonding, per application year. The program is funded through employer and employee payroll contributions, which will commence on January 1, 2027, and be administered by the MDOL’s FAMLI Division.…

Quick Hits The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has rescinded agreements protecting transgender and LGBTQ+ students across several school districts and one community college, reflecting a policy shift under the Trump administration. The office explained these agreements incorrectly interpreted Title IX, stating that protections apply only to sex and not gender identity. Such changes to Title IX enforcement and antidiscrimination obligations have significant implications for educational institutions…

Quick Hits Starting no later than January 3, 2028, the FAMLI program will provide most Maryland employees with up to twelve weeks of paid leave for certain family and medical reasons, with a possible additional twelve weeks of leave for parental bonding, per application year. The program is funded through employer and employee payroll contributions, which will commence on January 1, 2027, and be administered by the MDOL’s FAMLI Division.…

Quick Hits Under Section 45c of the Residence Act, companies with operations in Germany must provide written information to new employees no later than their first day of work and include reference to the free labor and social law advice service “Faire Integration” plus contact details of the nearest advice center. The new requirement, which took effect on January 1, 2026, applies only to new hires from third countries whose…

Quick Hits Slovakia remains further ahead than the Czech Republic with transposing the EU Pay Transparency Directive into national law, with a dedicated draft law already in the legislative process. The Czech Republic published a draft Labour Code amendment and has explicitly opted for a “minimalist transposition” mirroring the directive’s minimum requirements. In both countries, employers may want to begin reviewing pay structures, transparency practices, and internal governance now. Slovakia…

Quick Hits Washington State Governor Ferguson recently signed a wide range of labor and employment legislation into law, including bills that address reductions in force, pregnancy accommodations, noncompete agreements, traditional labor relations, behavioral health in the construction industry, and wage and hour claims. HB 1155, which bans noncompetition agreements with employees and independent contractors, will take effect on June 30, 2026; the other laws will take effect on June 11,…

Quick Hits Oregon enacted HB 4089, which expands criminal penalties for wage theft offenses and increases penalties for hiring unlicensed construction labor contractors or misusing contractor license numbers, with violations ranging from Class A misdemeanors to Class C felonies. Several measures (HB 4111, HB 4079, and SB 1570) strengthen protections related to immigration status—restricting its use in civil lawsuits, prohibiting employer retaliation for updating work authorization, requiring schools and healthcare…