The Sixth Circuit recently emphasized the importance of how supervisors manage pregnancy-related accommodations and workplace communications. Background Jackilyn Bunnell, a hospital ultrasonographer, told her supervisor that she was pregnant and requested certain...
Labor & Employment
FTC Abandons Biden-ERA Non-Compete Rule
On September 5, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission dismissed its appeals in Ryan, LLC v. FTC, (5th Cir.), and Properties of the Villages v. FTC, (11th Cir.), and accepted the nullification of the Biden administration’s Non-Compete Rule. At first glance, this means the...
Workforce Planning in Ohio: Compliance Challenges Under the New Mini-WARN Statute
This article was updated on October 3, 2025, to reflect that Ohio’s newly enacted “mini-WARN” statute has officially taken effect. As of September 29, 2025, Ohio employers face new obligations under the state’s recently enacted “mini-WARN” statute. Building on the...
Sixth Circuit Requires Employer Intent for Customer Sexual Harassment Under Title VII
The Sixth Circuit in Bivens v. Zep, Inc. brushed aside the EEOC’s and several circuit court positions with respect to the standard to be used when determining an employer’s liability under Title VII for sexual harassment of its employee by a customer and instituted a...
Removing the “Human” from Human Resources: How AI is Reshaping HR
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna recently reported that the company is using AI agents to take over work that had previously been done by several hundred HR employees. Specifically, IBM’s “AskHR” agent has automated 94% of simple tasks like vacation requests and pay statements....
From Accommodation to Termination: What Employers Need to Know About Navigating Indefinite Leave
When an employee requests extended medical leave, employers often wonder how long they must wait before it is no longer “reasonable.” The Fourth Circuit recently addressed this in Coffman v. Nexstar Media, offering clarity on the limits of leave as a reasonable...
Why More Employers Are Turning to ICHRA for Affordable Health Care Benefits
Many employers have faced the same “knot in the stomach” moment during insurance renewal season. We’re all too familiar with the stress of inexplicably rising health care costs, especially when group plan risk pools take an unexpectedly negative turn. Far too many...
The Coldplay Concert Kiss Cam Scandal: Legal and Employment Litigation Implications
We’ve all heard about and been astonished (or entertained) by the recent Coldplay concert kiss cam scandal involving the CEO and Chief People Officer of Astronomer, a data infrastructure and workflow company valued at over $1 billion. The potential legal and public...
Good Intentions, Lawful Termination: Sixth Circuit Backs Employer Discipline
In a recent decision that reinforces the importance of consistent policy enforcement, the Sixth Circuit upheld the dismissal of an age discrimination lawsuit filed by a nurse terminated from the Cincinnati VA Medical Center (the “VA Hospital”), against the Secretary...
Part Two: One Big Beautiful Bill Act – Impact on Employers and Employees
This article is Part Two of a multi-part analysis by KJK that will continue to summarize the OBBBA’s implications on various taxpayers and industries. Signed into law on July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduces several changes affecting...