Labor Law Updates

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.

Washington Governor Bob Ferguson recently signed the Immigrant Worker Protection Act into law (HB 2105). The Act aims to protect immigrant workers by requiring employers to provide notice to their employees when federal agencies conduct inspections related to employment eligibility verification, specifically concerning Form I-9.

Disability discrimination is one of the fastest-growing areas of enforcement by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In fiscal year 2024, the EEOC received more than 33,688 disability discrimination charges and secured nearly $700 million for victims, a 5% increase over the previous year. 

Veterans are entitled to a wide range of benefits and resources through their service — but accessing those benefits often depends on knowing they exist in the first place.

That's the driving idea behind the Thomas M. Conway Veterans Access to Resources in the Workplace Act, a newly introduced bipartisan bill that would require employers to display information connecting veterans with the federal and state benefits available to them.