On May 9, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law numerous provisions under the FY26 New York State Budget that, among other things, increase the civil penalties for employers that violate state child labor laws and modify existing permitting and reporting requirements for employers and minor employees. Other changes include eliminating the coverage exemption for
Kansas Passes Pro-Employer Restrictive Covenant Legislation
On April 9, 2025, Kansas Governor Laura Kelley signed into law Senate Bill No. 241 (the “Bill”), which amends the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act (the “Act”) to (a) create presumptions of enforceability for non-solicitation covenants meeting the Act’s requirements, and (b) require reformation of overbroad restrictive covenants. The Act expressly excludes non-competition covenants from
Fourth Circuit Temporarily Allows DEI-Related EOs to Continue
As we previously reported, on March 3, 2025, the Maryland District Court denied Defendants’ motion to stay the preliminary injunction in National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education v. Trump, preventing the federal government from enforcing several DEI-related clauses in its recent Executive Orders. The court held that the Government had not
U.S. Supreme Court Hears Oral Argument in Reverse Sex Discrimination Case
On February 26, 2025, the United States Supreme Court entertained oral argument in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services, a case that centered on whether a plaintiff who is a member of a majority group must meet a higher burden—namely, showing supporting “background circumstances”—in establishing a prima facie case of discrimination under Title