Blogs

Employment Law

What’s Up When the Government is Shutdown: Employment Issues for Contractors

The federal government shut down that began last night at midnight will have an immediate adverse impact on thousands of federal sector workers across the United States. While the federal government is still funded to provide essential government services, such as Social Security checks and VA benefits payments, non-essential services will not be provided until…

October 1, 2025

Employment Law

Employee Leave and Time-Off Rights in Virginia: Navigating FMLA, PTO, and More

Employees will always need time away from work, whether for health, family, or civic obligations. Both federal and state laws provide leave rights and impose obligations on employers to ensure workers can take this time without risking their jobs. Understanding these requirements is essential for compliance and for maintaining a fair workplace. This guide breaks…

September 18, 2025

Employment Law

Rising National Guard Deployments: What Employers Need to Know

Military-related absences from the civilian workforce have surged in 2025, reaching their highest levels in nearly two decades. Much of this increase stems from National Guard activations for both federal and state missions. For employers, these absences create not only operational staffing challenges but also trigger legal obligations under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment…

September 15, 2025

Employment Law

The Americans with Disabilities Act Turns Thirty-Five: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly for Employers

July 26, 2025, marked the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), the federal law that created far-reaching protections for individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including in the workplace, where it mandates equal access to the same employment opportunities and benefits for qualified individuals with a disability that are…

August 6, 2025

Employment Law

U.S. Department of Labor’s July 2025 Regulatory Rollback: Implications and Strategic Considerations for Employers

On July 22, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a sweeping deregulatory initiative aimed at rewriting or repealing more than sixty workplace rules deemed “obsolete” or “overly burdensome” by the current administration. According to Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the rollback is part of a broader effort to “eliminate unnecessary regulations that stifle…

July 29, 2025

Employment Law

HB 1730: What Virginia Employers Need to Know About Vicarious Liability

On July 1, 2025, the ‘Sexual Assault Employer Accountability Act,’ Virginia House Bill 1730 (“HB 1730”), took effect, broadening access for victim recovery and expanding potential liability for Virginia employers. The bill amends existing Virginia employer liability laws to expressly permit employers to be held vicariously liable for personal injury or wrongful death of a “vulnerable victim”…

July 21, 2025

Employment Law

Virginia Employers: Wage Law Violations Are Costing Businesses Big Money

Virginia employers face increasing scrutiny over how they pay their workers. The Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI), along with the federal Department of Labor (DOL), continues to crack down on wage theft and the misclassification of employees as independent contractors. For employers across the Commonwealth, these enforcement efforts carry real financial consequences—ranging from…

July 21, 2025

Employment Law

The Growing Need for Elder Care Benefits in the U.S.

Listening to a recent Marketplace Business News podcast, I was surprised to learn of recent data that reveals a significant shift in the caregiving landscape: for the first time, more adults in the U.S. are now providing informal care for their elderly relatives, spouses, or neighbors than for their preschool-aged children. This demographic and social…

June 24, 2025

Employment Law

What Federal Employers and Employees Need to Know About OPM’s 2025 Merit Hiring Plan

In furtherance of Executive Order 14170, issued by President Trump on January 20, 2025, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently released a sweeping Merit Hiring Plan that will significantly alter how the federal government hires and evaluates candidates for employment. If you’re a federal employee, HR specialist, or contractor working with government agencies…

June 17, 2025

Employment Law

Employer Alert: Virginia Expands Ban on Noncompetes to All Non-Exempt Employees

Effective July 1, 2025, it will be unlawful for Virginia employers to enter into noncompete agreements with employees who are eligible for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The new law significantly expands existing Virginia law, which, since 2020, has prohibited employers from entering or enforcing noncompetes with “low wage employees.” What…

April 16, 2025