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Labor Relations / Unions

Tackling the top HR problems in the first quarter

01/12/2026
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.

NLRB’s expanded damages face Supreme Court showdown—or reversal

01/12/2026
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.

Senate confirms NLRB nominees: What it means for labor law

12/22/2025
The newly constituted board will likely tackle priorities stymied over the past 11 months.

Starbucks to pay $38.9 million for NYC labor violations

12/08/2025
In a case that illustrates how much even minor wage-and-hour violations can rack up huge bills, Starbucks cafés in New York City will pay over $38.9 million to workers shorted on pay or otherwise harmed by poor wage-and-hour practices.

New year brings new employment laws

11/24/2025
It’s that time of year—2025 will soon appear in the rearview mirror, and when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, new state laws will go into effect. Here’s a summary of some of those laws that may impact your operations.

Baristas strike while federal court upholds Starbucks ULP charge

11/24/2025
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a barista involved in one of the earliest attempts to organize won a challenge to her firing. That may force Starbucks to rethink its efforts to fight union organizing by essentially punishing the workers involved.

Republican HELP Committee members propose new labor laws

11/17/2025
The proposed bills include one that would make it harder to file unfair labor charges with the National Labor Relations Board. Another would punish unions for trying to organize undocumented immigrants. Here’s a summary of the proposals.

Senate HELP Committee holds hearing on the future of labor

11/03/2025
Chair Bill Cassidy noted that it has been almost a century since the passage of major labor laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act and the National Labor Relations Act, and since then, much has changed in the workplace.

Congress weighs two labor bills with big impact for employers

10/27/2025
One bill would make it faster for labor unions to reach the first collective bargaining agreement after a union election, and the other would make it harder to organize.

NLRB nominees move forward, which could spark labor law shifts

10/20/2025
On tap are reversals of several key cases that limit the use of captive-audience meetings by employers, changes that make it easier to pass handbook rules and removing extensive remedies for employees whose employers commit unfair labor practices.