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The three federal agencies tasked with enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) — the Departments of Labor, Health & Human Services (through CMS), and Treasury (the Departments) — issued their Final Rule to implement the MHPAEA on September 9, 2024, to mixed reviews.
Groups composed of providers, such as the…
Employers need to be smarter than ever about how they use artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace. Laws attempting to regulate the use of AI in the workplace have seemingly kept pace with advancements in the technology itself. Originally intended to streamline employment processes, AI may have unintended consequences that need to be mitigated. There…
With less than three months to go until the general election, politics seem to be a hot topic for discussion these days! However, today’s political climate is more divisive than ever, and there are many reasons why you may not want these discussions in your workplace. You also may wonder if you can prohibit your…
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) has been using a caffeinated approach to challenge employers in unfair labor practice disputes, with Section 10(j) injunction petitions at the top of the menu, often resulting in drastic relief imposed by a court, such as reinstatement of terminated employees to maintain the “status quo,” while the…
The Office of Inspector General recently announced the more than $5.5 million settlement of a qui tam action brought against Admera Health, LLC (Admera). In addition to the fine incurred, the legal fees typically incurred for defending such claims and negotiating such settlements often reach six figures or more. …
In a lightning-fast deal brokered by Governor Gavin Newsom, California lawmakers enacted significant amendments to PAGA, California’s so-called “sue-your-boss” law that deputizes millions of workers across the state to bring labor law enforcement actions against their employers. The amendments, which passed both assembly houses unanimously after attracting broad support from employer groups as well as…
Based upon a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, federal regulatory agencies are no longer entitled to deference as to their interpretation of a statute that is ambiguous, and federal courts are now compelled to exercise their independent judgment in deciding if an agency acted within its statutory authority. While the Supreme Court was…
The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) years-long effort to modernize its Health Breach Notification Rule (HBNR) in the midst of a swiftly changing technological landscape appears to be coming to an end. On Thursday, May 30, 2024, the FTC published its final rule implementing the HBNR. And so begins a new robust enforcement landscape for health…
As expected, the first lawsuits have been filed to challenge a new Department of Labor (DOL) “Overtime Rule” that significantly raises the minimum salary threshold for the exempt, administrative, and professional (EAP) and highly compensated employee (HCE) overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The new rule is intended to take effect today, July…
Mifepristone is safe for now. On June 13, 2024, the Supreme Court unanimously held that the plaintiffs — doctors and medical associations alike — lacked standing to challenge 2000 and 2019 FDA approvals of mifepristone (brand name: Mifeprex), a drug used to terminate pregnancies through ten weeks gestation. Avoiding a substantive decision on the merits…
