The nascent practice of deciding workers’ wages via algorithms has caught the attention of advocates and state lawmakers who are pushing for regulation aimed at preventing discrimination and pay irregularities.
Bills in California, Colorado, Georgia, and Illinois proposed parameters last year on making compensation decisions with artificial intelligence systems, and at least a few more are trying again in 2026. Most of the bills aim to bar use of personal data that’s unrelated to work.
Read more at Bloomberg Law
At least half a dozen federal lawsuits are ongoing, with workers alleging employers are violating fiduciary duties and nondiscrimination provisions under the Affordable Care Act and Employee Retirement Income Security Act by penalizing smokers and pocketing the fines. Multiple corporations have settled cases with workers in recent months, with Performance Food Group Inc. most recently agreeing to pay $4.7 million to 18,500 employees.
Read more at Bloomberg Law
The government’s phasing out of the penny without providing any legal guidance on how to handle the transition is causing big headaches for retailers and could result in large corporate losses, class action litigation, banking problems and trouble for businesses that accept SNAP payments.
President Donald Trump announced on Feb. 9 that the U.S. Mint would cease producing pennies, which cost about 3.7 cents each to make. But unlike Canada, Australia and other countries that have eliminated their one-cent coins, the U.S. government offered no rules or explanations for how transactions should be handled going forward, creating a chaotic situation and a legal quagmire.
Read more at Courthouse News
'A lump of coal' for US employees: Federal judge overturns new overtime rule.
The Department of Labor rule was set to go into effect in two phases. On July 1, 2024, the minimum salary for salaried employees (also known as exempt employees) increased from $35,568 a year to $43,888 a year. On January 1, 2025, it was set to increase to $58,656 a year.
Read more at Fox 17
A FinCEN representative acknowledged that only about 20% of the millions of businesses that need to report have filed. The deadline for most of us? Reporting companies created or registered to do business in the United States before January 1, 2024, must file by January 1, 2025.
Read more at Forbes
Michigan employees, besides those employed by the federal government, will earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. Businesses with 10 or more workers would need to allow at least 72 hours of paid sick time a year. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees must give out at least 40 hours of paid sick time each year, plus an additional 32 hours of unpaid sick time.
Read more at WoodTV 8
When drafting domestic contracts, lawyers need to have a good understanding of the client’s business and the underlying transaction in order to properly allocate and mitigate attendant risks.
Read more at Michigan Bar Journal
