Labor Law Updates

The legislative and regulatory landscape has shifted dramatically — and for HR teams, the question is no longer whether to adapt, but how quickly. The decisions made in 2025 are impacting HR compliance in 2026, and what worked before may not hold up today. Understanding what changed, and why, is the first step toward protecting your business going forward.

You might not see it coming. One dissatisfied employee files a complaint, and suddenly your business is the subject of a Department of Labor (DOL) investigation. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the DOL has broad authority to examine your time and pay practices — from minimum wage and overtime pay to exemption classifications and recordkeeping. With the Wage and Hour Division overseeing labor laws for more than 148 million workers, no employer is too small to be scrutinized.

If you've recently opened a small business — or you're still in the early stages of figuring out your compliance requirements — you may wonder whether labor law poster exemptions apply to your situation. After all, those posting requirements are for big companies with HR departments, right?

HR professionals face a rapidly evolving compliance landscape in 2026, shaped by new regulations, heightened enforcement and growing expectations for transparency and ethical practices. Staying ahead requires awareness, adaptability and the ability to turn complex rules into practical policies that protect both employees and the organization.

For many employees, hair is more than style – it’s identity. Across the country, states continue to adopt laws that prohibit race-based hair discrimination in the workplace, signaling a broader shift in how employers must approach grooming policies and inclusion.