https://1.next.westlaw.com Labor & Employment https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I3ef03b818cd111f08d94a97a2fd4b363/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I3ef03b818cd111f08d94a97a2fd4b363/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 CDT On September 5, 2025, the FTC filed to dismiss its appeals in Ryan, LLC v. FTC, No. 24-10951 (5th Cir.), and Properties of the Villages v. FTC, No. 24-13102 (11th Cir.), and to accede to the vacatur of the Non-Compete Clause Rule. Chairman Andrew Ferguson stated that the FTC will continue to use its traditional enforcement powers to address unlawful non-compete clauses in employment agreements. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I49c19899783111f0a273f7b3de17c00e/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I49c19899783111f0a273f7b3de17c00e/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Wed, 13 Aug 2025 00:00:00 CDT In Quintara Biosciences, Inc. v. Ruifeng Biztech, Inc., the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that the district court abused its discretion in a federal Defend Trade Secrets Act case when it struck nine of the plaintiff's eleven trade secrets for failing to adequately describe the trade secrets before discovery. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I35d6239263fc11f0ae8fc362ad603490/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I35d6239263fc11f0ae8fc362ad603490/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Fri, 18 Jul 2025 00:00:00 CDT The US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in a 2-1 decision reversed a district court's issuance of a preliminary injunction preventing the NCAA from enforcing its Five-Year Rule against a college athlete seeking to play a fifth season of college football in Fourqurean v. Nat'l Coll. Athletic Ass'n, 2025 WL 1944005 (7th Cir. July 16, 2025). The Seventh Circuit concluded that a preliminary injunction was not warranted because the athlete failed to establish that he was likely to succeed on his claim that the Five-Year Rule constituted an unreasonable restraint of trade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/If6cd5a9055bc11f0ae8fc362ad603490/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/If6cd5a9055bc11f0ae8fc362ad603490/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 CDT The Texas governor signed the Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act (Texas AI Act) into law, establishing a regulatory system for AI development and use, AI disclosure requirements for government agencies, a program that allows AI development with relaxed legal constraints, and an advisory council to analyze AI use and provide recommendations to state agencies. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ie7305bfa529b11f0ae8fc362ad603490/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ie7305bfa529b11f0ae8fc362ad603490/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 CDT In Markley v. U.S. Bank Nat'l Assoc., the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit held that claim preclusion bars a state-law claim that was initially asserted and dismissed without prejudice in a previous federal suit when the plaintiff could have asserted diversity jurisdiction in the previous suit but failed to do so. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I92c8aa3b162c11f0aee9df768af9403e/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I92c8aa3b162c11f0aee9df768af9403e/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:00:00 CDT The White House issued a presidential memorandum directing federal regulatory agency heads to prioritize repeal of regulations that are "unlawful" under 10 notable US Supreme Court decisions in undertaking the review and repeal of regulations directed under Executive Order 14219, the DOGE order, issued in February 2025. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I70c01753f8f411ef8376a2e9ab61a315/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I70c01753f8f411ef8376a2e9ab61a315/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00 CST The Governor of Arkansas has signed a bill expanding the coverage of the Frank Broyles Publicity Rights Protection Act of 2016 to include restrictions on the use of AI-generated reproductions and simulations of an individual's image or voice. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ie4ca8ba0d43111ef8b5f983aa0c7035a/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ie4ca8ba0d43111ef8b5f983aa0c7035a/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 CST On January 16, 2025, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) adopted new Antitrust Guidelines for Business Activities Affecting Workers. The Guidelines explain how these agencies evaluate agreements and practices that may impact competition in labor markets, including wage fixing and no-poach agreements. The new Guidelines replace the prior Antitrust Guidance for Human Resource Professionals (2016). https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I0ed5b80575bd11efb5eab7c3554138a0/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I0ed5b80575bd11efb5eab7c3554138a0/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 CDT The Governor of California signed into law several bills addressing use of AI-generated digital replicas of live and deceased performers in advertising and creative and expressive works. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I2cee01a65f9711ef9a5f906d9a270520/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I2cee01a65f9711ef9a5f906d9a270520/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Tue, 20 Aug 2024 00:00:00 CDT On August 20, 2024, the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas granted the plaintiff's motion for summary judgment in Ryan LLC v. Federal Trade Commission, setting aside the FTC's rule banning non-compete agreements which was set to take effect on September 4, 2024 (2024 WL 3879954 (N.D. Tex. Aug. 20, 2024)). The court held that the FTC exceeded its statutory authority in promulgating the rule and that the rule is arbitrary and capricious. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I41827e775bdf11ef9a5f906d9a270520/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I41827e775bdf11ef9a5f906d9a270520/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 CDT The US District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule banning most post-employment non-compete agreements and staying the rule's effective date pending underlying litigation, for the named plaintiff only (Props. of the Villages, Inc. v. Fed. Trade Comm'n, 2024 WL 3870380 (M.D. Fla. Aug. 15, 2024)). https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I329ed6fe58ad11ef9a5f906d9a270520/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I329ed6fe58ad11ef9a5f906d9a270520/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Tue, 13 Aug 2024 00:00:00 CDT The Governor of Illinois has signed into law several AI-related bills addressing AI-generated digital replicas, employment discrimination from AI use, and AI-generated child pornography. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I77b280c7532711ef9a5f906d9a270520/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I77b280c7532711ef9a5f906d9a270520/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 CDT Illinois has enacted SB 2979, which limits potential statutory damage awards under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) and allows businesses to obtain written consent electronically. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I4df66e513f9011ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I4df66e513f9011ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Fri, 12 Jul 2024 00:00:00 CDT On July 1, 2024, an amendment to Illinois's Child Labor Law took effect, which requires parents to compensate their children for appearing in content their parents create and share on social media. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ifd6cd1273d3211ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ifd6cd1273d3211ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 CDT The US District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction postponing the effective date of the FTC's ban on non-compete agreements (the Rule) with respect to the named plaintiffs in Ryan LLC v. Federal Trade Commission, 2024 WL 3297524 (N.D. Tex. July 3, 2024). The Rule, currently expected to go into effect on September 4, 2024, classifies non-compete clauses as violations of Section 5 of the FTC Act. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ice010b0d21ac11ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ice010b0d21ac11ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 CDT Colorado has amended the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) by enacting HB 1130, which adds biometric data protections, and SB 41, which enhances protections when controllers process a minor's (consumer under 18) personal data and there is a heightened risk of harm to the minor. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I897f721316e411ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I897f721316e411ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Tue, 21 May 2024 00:00:00 CDT The Governor of Colorado has signed into law the Concerning Consumer Protections in Interactions with Artificial Intelligence Systems bill, which imposes broad requirements on developers and deployers of high-risk AI systems and seeks to protect against discrimination. Update: On August 28, 2025, Colorado enacted legislation delaying the implementation of the act from February 1 to June 30, 2026. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ic5ac4776142d11ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ic5ac4776142d11ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Fri, 17 May 2024 00:00:00 CDT In Smith v. Spizzirri, the US Supreme Court resolved a circuit split by holding that when a party asks a federal court to stay a lawsuit in a matter found subject to arbitration while the arbitration is pending, under Section 3 of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), the court must issue a stay and does not have discretion to dismiss the suit on grounds that all the claims are subject to arbitration. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I64739132019a11ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I64739132019a11ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Tue, 23 Apr 2024 00:00:00 CDT The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a final rule classifying non-compete clauses as a violation of Section 5 of the FTC Act, thereby banning most non-compete clauses for workers nationwide. The rule is expected to be challenged in court. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Iff72ce03595111ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Iff72ce03595111ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Fri, 22 Sep 2023 00:00:00 CDT New York amended its labor law to render unenforceable employment agreement provisions that require employees to assign to their employers inventions created entirely using the employee's own time and resources. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ief4a4d6929fe11ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ief4a4d6929fe11ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:00:00 CDT On July 21, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule that amends the regulatory framework for completing the Form I-9 employment eligibility and identification verification. Under the new rule, the DHS may create options for employers to review documents evidencing employment eligibility and identity without physical inspection. The final rule is accompanied by a notice allowing employers enrolled in E-Verify to utilize the alternative procedures as well as a notice introducing a new, simplified Form I-9. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Iae04320d175211ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Iae04320d175211ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Mon, 03 Jul 2023 00:00:00 CDT In Groff v. DeJoy, the US Supreme Court clarified and changed the religious accommodation standard under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that employers and the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission relied on for more than 46 years. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I0d2cae75175e11ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I0d2cae75175e11ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Fri, 30 Jun 2023 00:00:00 CDT The Superior Court of California for Sacramento County issued an order postponing the enforcement of California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) related regulations. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ic4dea41e142311ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ic4dea41e142311ee8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Wed, 28 Jun 2023 00:00:00 CDT In Coinbase, Inc. v. Bielski, the US Supreme Court held that a district court must stay a proceeding pending an interlocutory appeal on the issue of arbitrability. The Court overturned the Ninth Circuit, which had taken a minority position on the issue. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I4a999e9e334a11ed9f24ec7b211d8087/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I4a999e9e334a11ed9f24ec7b211d8087/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Fri, 19 May 2023 00:00:00 CDT The Practical Law Labor & Employment Service now covers traditional labor law developments in a helpful annual tracker format. The tracker covers key traditional labor legislation, administrative agency activity, and federal court precedent developments on topics relating to, among other things, union elections, unfair labor practices, and obligations to engage in collective bargaining. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I074dfee0d0f411eabea4f0dc9fb69570/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I074dfee0d0f411eabea4f0dc9fb69570/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Tue, 02 May 2023 00:00:00 CDT In General Motors LLC, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) held that cases involving employer discipline of employees for offensive or abusive behavior in the course of activity otherwise protected under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) will now be decided under the Wright Line standard. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I1b7f7e0b3f4011ed9f24ec7b211d8087/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I1b7f7e0b3f4011ed9f24ec7b211d8087/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 CST The Practical Law Labor & Employment Service continues to cover legal developments in a helpful annual Tracker format. The Tracker covers key US labor and employment law developments, including federal and state court decisions, laws, regulations, and administrative agency guidance decided, enacted, or issued each year on topics relating to, among other things, employment litigation, discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, restrictive covenants, recruitment and hiring, leave, policies and procedures, health and safety, termination, layoffs, and plant closings, and wage and hour law. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I9a40a2cf90de11ed8636e1a02dc72ff6/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I9a40a2cf90de11ed8636e1a02dc72ff6/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 Tue, 10 Jan 2023 00:00:00 CST The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued and is seeking public comment on a proposed rule broadly banning employers from imposing non-competes on workers. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I4bfa46a0d9c611ef9cf3faa0f84609b3/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I4bfa46a0d9c611ef9cf3faa0f84609b3/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 The White House issued an executive action (EA) revoking previous EOs and taking other actions to terminate illegal discrimination in the government, higher education, federal contractors, recipients of federal financial assistance, including grants and loans, and private corporations. The EA explicitly revokes Executive Order (EO) 11246, which was the basis for requirements on government contractors' race and sex affirmative action programs. https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I8ce783dd0bdf11ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 https://1.next.westlaw.com/Document/I8ce783dd0bdf11ef8921fbef1a541940/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 On April 29, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) released guidance on the use of AI in the workplace for federal contractors.