Author: James W. Ward
DHS Proposes New H-1B Visa Fee
On August 24, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed rule that would establish a $103,265 fee for all H-1B visa petitions…
OFCCP Publishes Final Rules Changing Federal Contractor Obligations
On August 21, 2026, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published final rules changing regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section…
EEOC Votes to End EEO-1 Reporting, Comment Period Open
Recently, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking that would officially rescind the longstanding EEO-1 demographic reporting…
2027 California Minimum Wage Increasing to $17.40/Hour
On July 31, 2026, the California Department of Finance Director Joe Stephenshaw officially certified that California’s minimum wage will increase to $17.40 per hour for…
DOL Opinion Letters Address Commuting, Remote Work
On July 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued two new opinion letters addressing how the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) applies to…
California Adds Federal Arbitration Act Exclusions to State Law
On June 30, 2026, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 2155, which changes California law governing the enforceability of arbitration agreements. This bill amends the…
IRS Mileage Rates Increased Again on July 1
On July 13, 2026, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a rare midyear increase to the optional standard mileage rates, which are used to calculate…
EEOC Removes Decades-Old Affirmative Action Guidance
On June 30, 2026, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it rescinded two affirmative action guidance documents it adopted approximately 40 years…
DOL Publishes Opinions on Meal Period, Timekeeping Issues
At the end of May, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published four opinion letters. These letters are the agency’s written guidance on how it…
DOL Approves Bonus Program That Avoids Overtime Recalculation
In its recently published Opinion Letter FLSA2026-6, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) endorsed an employer’s quarterly bonus program as a “percentage of total earnings”…
