“A corollary to the populist instincts of president-to-be Trump [i.e., his possible support for some increase to the federal minimum wage] is this issue about removing taxes on tips. This is something that could certainly happen in 2025 — and it would be the most important effect on the wage and hour practice in the entire time I have been practicing in this area.”

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Workplace Law in 2025 00:45 Navigating Wage and Hour Law Changes 08:46 The Future of Minimum Wage Legislation 13:56 Anticipating Changes in Wage and Hour Practices

“A lot of employers have very innocent mistakes on their I-9s or employees have expired work authorization and they don't even realize it. These are things immigration counsel can help with and protect employers from liability before the enforcement starts.”

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Workplace Law in 2025 03:07 Understanding Asylum and Temporary Protected Status 05:48 Humanitarian Parole and Its Implications 08:51 DACA and Future Employment Considerations 10:09 Preparing for Potential Immigration Enforcement

“To be clear, raids are officially known as worksite enforcement actions. These are very large-scale operations. There are subpoenas involved, a lot of enforcement personnel, a lot of planning — and the government typically tips off the media. In terms of long-term effectiveness, they're not very effective but it does grab the headlines, which is what we think that the Trump administration wants. And it's in part, why it was done last time.”

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Workplace Law in 2025 00:45 Anticipating Immigration Policies Under Trump 05:59 Worksite Enforcement and Compliance Measures 12:01 Preparing for Increased Audits and Enforcement Actions 15:53 Conclusion and Future Insights

“It's this constant sense of governance — risk and compliance processes that should take place whenever you're dealing with these technologies. If there was one goal I would recommend for next year, that would be more collaboration between the stakeholders [IT, legal, HR, the business area deploying the tech] when rolling out these kinds of tools.”

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Workplace Law in 2025 00:45 Trends in Privacy and Data Security Litigation 05:05 State Privacy Laws and Their Implications 09:48 Data Minimization and Vendor Risk Management 15:11 The Role of AI in Data Management and Compliance 19:48 HR's Evolving Responsibilities in Data Privacy 25:03 Collaboration for Effective Technology Implementation

“The watchword is uncertainty. I don't think there's any question that the Trump administration is going to usher in a more pro-business, anti-regulatory administration and emphasis. But I do think that there's a lot that remains to be seen about how that will actually go into effect. [Post Loper Bright] we don't exactly know how courts will interpret a number of statutes.”

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Workplace Law in 2025 00:45 Uncertainty in OSHA Regulations 06:07 Impact of New Administration on OSHA 09:58 Workplace Violence Prevention Regulations 13:48 The Future of OSHRC and Judicial Review

“PAGA is a statute that's not employer-friendly, but one of the benefits of this last year is that we had some amendments come through that did, for lack of a better phrase, throw employers a little bit of a bone when it came to dealing with PAGA cases. One benefit is an expanded ability to cure labor code violations. The other involves arbitration and our ability to fight these claims and not just have to wait to trial to do it.” 

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Workplace Law in 2025 00:45 Introduction to PAGA and Its Challenges 03:11 Recent Amendments and Their Implications 06:04 Understanding Penalties and Compliance 09:06 Standing Requirements and Legal Developments 12:00 PAGA vs. Arbitration: Current Landscape 14:50 Conclusion and Future Outlook

“Throughout the year, we certainly find some of the policies that we think ‘we should maybe change that moving forward.’ The beginning of the new year is a great opportunity to take a look at these things with new eyes and work with our management teams to really be business partners and not just advise but strategize with them as we move forward.”

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Workplace Law in 2025 00:46 Workplace Violence Regulations and Remote Employees 04:03 Expanded Sick Leave Laws 06:47 Changes in Paid Family Leave Requirements 10:11 Discrimination Laws and Protected Traits 13:08 Fair Chance Ordinances and Employment Regulations 14:57 Conclusion and Future Insights

“It's harder and harder to be a day-to-day HR professional or managing legal in an organization due to the myriad of differences between state and local laws. That requires an analysis of whether we want to go to lowest common denominators, which involves consideration of stakeholders and costs, or whether we have the ability to operate different policies and systems in different states, which then interacts with IT and systems. It requires an overall analysis of where the organization wants to be. And now we have another issue that we always need to think about, which is humanity. Individuals have more expectations for treatment in the workplace.”

Chapters

00:00 Navigating Workplace Law in 2025 00:45 The Push and Pull of DEI Initiatives 09:50 Legislative Landscape: Ballot Initiatives and Employee Rights 15:59 Changing Employee Expectations and Future Outlook

Businesses that embrace non-discriminatory practices and enforce robust anti-harassment policies create an environment where LGBTQ+ employees can thrive. By fostering a culture of inclusivity and safety, these companies not only support their employees in being their authentic selves but also leverage the unique perspectives and talents that come with diversity.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Workplace Inclusion for LGBTQ+ Employees 02:02 Personal Experiences and Mentorship in the LGBTQ+ Community 05:52 Legal Considerations for Employee Resource Groups 10:10 The Importance of Mentorship and DEI Programs 14:04 Enhancing DEI Programs for LGBTQ+ Inclusion 17:54 Community Engagement and Broader Impact 21:53 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

Some organizations are early adopters of AI, balancing the need to embrace new technology with transparency to stakeholders and adherence to regulatory guidelines.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI in the Workplace 02:30 Understanding ThreadUp and AI's Role 06:46 Balancing Transparency and AI Usage 11:33 Governance of AI in Organizations 18:01 Top Takeaways for AI Implementation