Expert Compliance Insights & Tips for Businesses

On September 5th, 2025, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a motion to dismiss its appeals in two pivotal cases involving a nationwide noncompete ban. Specifically, the two cases in question were Ryan, LLC v. FTC, No. 24-10951 (5th Cir.), and Properties of the Villages v. FTC, No. 24-13102 (11th Cir.).

Last week, the United States Department of the Treasury (Treasury) released a preliminary list of occupations that may be entitled to claim the new “no tax on tips” deduction. Specifically, this deduction is included within the recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Act).

Recently, California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) finalized AI regulations to prevent any negative impact associated with automated decision making in the workplace. Specifically, this includes hiring, firing, and recruitment decisions. In addition to any state laws created to prevent hiring discrimination, employers must comply with similar regulations established by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

On July 4th, 2025, President Donald Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Act), which, among other things, established new above-the-line tax deductions that could change the Form W-2 as we know it today.

On August 12th, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) made an announcement involving 401(k) plans. Specifically, the agency rescinded a December 21st, 2021, supplemental statement that discouraged fiduciaries from considering alternative assets in 401(k) plans.

On August 6th, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a reminder regarding educational assistance programs. The agency seeks to remind employers that they can use educational assistance programs to help employees pay down student loans through December 31st, 2025.

On July 4th, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed into law a piece of legislation that, among other things, created a new benefit for employees with children. Specifically known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (Act), this legislation made important changes to the federal tax code.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced several self-audit programs to help employers, unions, and pension plans assess and improve compliance with federal labor laws. Specifically, the July 24 press release touted the programs, which include new and updated offerings from multiple DOL federal agencies.

On July 24th, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the return of its Payroll Audit Independent Determination program, also known as the PAID program. Specifically, the PAID program (Program) was initially launched in April 2018 but was discontinued in 2021. The purpose of the program was to facilitate early resolution of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compliance issues. 

On July 14th, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) updated its guidance on penalty and debt collection procedures. Specifically, this update was made to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA’s) Field Operations Manual (FOM).