Employers hoping the new administration would scale back scrutiny of employee non-compete agreements may need to reconsider. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) continues to aggressively challenge non-compete agreements under Section 5 of the FTC Act, as shown by its recent consent order with Rollins, Inc., the parent company of Orkin, HomeTeam and Critter Control. The FTC alleges that broad non-compete agreements restrict employee mobility and suppress competition, particularly for non-executive workers. The Rollins case provides an important warning for employers that use non-compete agreements, restrictive covenants or post-employment restrictions and offers insight into how the FTC may continue enforcing federal non-compete rules despite ongoing legal challenges to a nationwide non-compete ban.

Continue Reading FTC cracks down on employee non-compete agreements: What employers need to know

In 2024, the Ohio Supreme Court overruled decades of precedent when it held in State ex rel. Dillon v. Industrial Commission that temporary total disability (TTD) compensation is terminated on the date a claimant reaches maximum medical improvement (MMI) (or, in other words, a treatment plateau), regardless of the date when the industrial hearing solidifying that determination is held.

Continue Reading Ohio workers’ compensation update: How the Kurtz decision limits Dillon on TTD recoupment

On March 31, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had completed its initial round of selections for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027. This marks the first cap season in which USCIS applied its new weighted selection process which favors the allocation of H-1B visas to higher-paid individuals. Whether a registration was selected or not, there are important steps for employers and prospective H-1B beneficiaries to consider in the weeks ahead.

Continue Reading FY 2027 H‑1B lottery selections have been announced: What happens next?

Earlier today (Feb. 26, 2026), the Department of Labor (DOL)’s Wage and Hour Division unveiled a proposed rule outlining the framework for determining whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Notably, the proposed rule also encompasses the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Migrant and Seasonal Worker Protection Act (MSPA), which share the same statutory definition of “employ.”

Continue Reading Proposed rule signals shift in DOL’s approach to worker classification

On Dec. 2, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a policy memorandum directing its officers to place an adjudicative hold on pending benefit requests for foreign nationals from 19 high-risk countries identified in the June 4, 2025 Presidential Proclamation, Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States. The purpose of the hold is to allow USCIS time to conduct a comprehensive review of the pending requests.

Continue Reading USCIS pause on adjudications for nationals from high-risk countries

On Dec. 29, 2025, the Federal Register published a final rule titled “Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap‑Subject H-1B Petitions,” announcing a major transformation of how U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) allocates H‑1B visas under the annual cap when random selection is required. Random selection is only implemented when USCIS receives more registrations (or petitions) than it projects to meet the numerical allocations. This final rule becomes effective on Feb. 27, 2026 and will be in effect for the upcoming fiscal year 2027 registration process.

Continue Reading New weighted selection process for Cap‑Subject H-1B Petitions

If you hold a U.S. visa, you might assume that once it is issued, you are in the clear. However, the Department of State can revoke a visa after issuance under a process called prudential visa revocation. This often surprises travelers, so here is what you need to know.

Continue Reading Prudential visa revocations and what you should know

On Dec. 16, 2025, President Trump signed a Proclamation expanding the June 4, 2025 travel restrictions to the United States. The Proclamation continues to fully ban the entry of nationals from the original 12 countries under the June 4, 2025 Proclamation and add seven additional countries to that list as well as individuals holding Palestinian-Authority-issued travel documents. Partial restrictions and entry limitations on 15 additional countries were also added in the December 2025 Proclamation. Nationals of Laos and Sierra Leone who had been subject to a partial entry ban are now fully banned under the Dec. 16, 2025 Proclamation and entry of nationals from Turkmenistan who plan to travel to the United States on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J nonimmigrant visas are no longer banned. Nationals from designated countries who are planning to travel outside of the United States should carefully evaluate their situation and consult with an experienced immigration attorney to address travel-related concerns.

Continue Reading U.S. expands travel restrictions: What you need to know

The Federal Trade Commission’s decision in September 2025 to abandon its defense of the Non-Compete Rule—while simultaneously pursuing targeted enforcement actions against specific employers—raises fundamental questions about the boundaries of executive constitutional judgment and administrative law. This analysis examines whether the FTC’s approach represents a legitimate exercise of the executive branch’s authority to decline defense of unconstitutional regulations, or an impermissible attempt to circumvent the procedural requirements that Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association v. State Farm imposes on agency policy reversals. The distinction matters: if agencies can effectively rescind regulations by declaring them constitutionally indefensible and abandoning their defense, it would create a concerning loophole in the Administrative Procedure Act’s requirement for reasoned decision-making and public participation in regulatory changes.

Continue Reading Regulation by capitulation: The tension between the FTC abandoning its defense of the Non-Compete Rule and the administrative law requirements for rescinding rules

On Oct. 20, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided additional information regarding implementation of the Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers Proclamation. The Guidance addresses which H-1B petitions are subject to the Proclamation, how and when to pay the fee and information on requesting an exception to the fee.

Continue Reading What employers need to know about USCIS guidance implementing the $100,000 H-1B petition fee