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Beginning in early 2026, Pennsylvania workers have a new set of employment protections. One new law applies state-wide, while several other laws apply in major population hubs, such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

The $100K fee may deter some smaller employers from hiring foreign workers despite a need for such workers when few citizens or legal residents with the required skills exist in the domestic labor market.

I have an exempt team member who is on approved FMLA. The employee reported to work during the approved time out of the office and worked for an hour and a half. Are we required to pay this individual for a full eight hours?

The flu is surging well beyond typical seasonal levels, and HR leaders can’t rely on outdated policies to protect their workplaces. A clear, current flu policy that is shared with employees helps limit workplace spread, reduce confusion and show employees that health and safety remain priorities.

Employers are often urged to determine reasonable accommodations quickly to avoid being accused of slowing the process as a way to avoid their obligations. But employers also naturally fear that if they temporarily approve an accommodation, they’re stuck with it forever. Fortunately, that’s not the case, as a recent decision shows.

Three appellate circuits have rejected the NLRB’s authority to award unfair labor practices damages, while one circuit—covering eight states—has upheld it. Now, an employer operating in one of those states is asking the Supreme Court to step in and resolve the growing divide.

EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas told the Washington Post that the EEOC is ready to focus on stamping out discrimination resulting from diversity, equity and inclusion programs and anti-American bias. She also intends to streamline the agency’s Pregnant Workers Fairness Act regulations and revise harassment guidelines that protect transgender workers.

The Supreme Court recently concluded that if an employee was treated differently because of a protected characteristic, this was enough to warrant a jury trial in a discrimination case. Now, a federal appeals court has refused to extend that reasoning to a hostile work environment claim.

The new year is here, and with it, the big HR headaches of the first quarter of 2026 are coming into focus. Here are some of the crucial issues we will be covering as the Trump administration enters its second full year.

On Dec. 11, President Trump signed an executive order on artificial intelligence aimed at promoting the United States as a global leader in AI development. Almost immediately after, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation that will establish new state rules on the development of AI models.