Workforce Bulletin

When ADA Compliance Feels Daunting, Dov Lutzker Offers a Clear Path Forward

Navigating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can feel overwhelming for employers, especially in a post-pandemic world where remote work and accommodations are at the forefront. But what if there were a way to approach these challenges with confidence and clarity?

Meet Dov Lutzker, a seasoned attorney with over two decades of experience enforcing the ADA at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he worked alongside the very people who shaped the law.

In this one-on-one conversation with fellow Epstein Becker Green attorney George Whipple, Dov shares his unique perspective on ADA compliance, offering practical insights for employers.

In this episode of Employment Law This Week®, we examine the coordinated efforts by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to target diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The efforts raise critical implications for private employers' compliance strategies.

Epstein Becker Green attorneys Susan Gross Sholinsky and Daniella Lee provide practical guidance on assessing risk, reviewing external communications, and remaining compliant in this evolving landscape.

As featured in #WorkforceWednesday®: This week, we discuss the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) new compliance tools, its proposed pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) transparency regulation, and updated enforcement priorities from the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration. We also cover the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB’s) revamped case intake process.

➡️ DOL Releases Compliance Tools

➡️ DOL Issues Proposed Regulation for PBMs

➡️ NLRB Adjusts Intake Procedure

As featured in #WorkforceWednesday®: This week, we examine a decision from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York addressing remote work requests and disability accommodations.

A recent federal ruling clarified that denying a request for full-time remote work as a disability accommodation does not, by itself, constitute discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Rehabilitation Act.

In this episode of Employment Law This Week^®, Epstein Becker Green attorney Eric I. Emanuelson, Jr., discusses what the ruling means for employers navigating remote work requests and disability accommodations.

As featured in #WorkforceWednesday®: This week, we’re covering new “Stay or Pay” bans in California and New York, developing immigration news for employers, and the EEOC’s streamlined path for faster policy changes.

➡️ California and New York Target “Stay or Pay” Agreements

➡️ Administration Pauses H-1B Fee and Immigrant Visas

➡️ EEOC Clears Path for Faster Policy Changes

On January 6, 2026, the New York Assembly introduced bill A9452 (Amendment), which would substantially amend the “Trapped at Work Act” (TAWA). As we explained here, TAWA prohibits all employers—including subsidiaries and contractors—from requiring current or prospective workers to sign employment-related promissory notes as a condition of employment.

When California Employment Law Feels Impossible, Jonathan Brenner Says “Watch Me”

Employers in California face a perfect storm of shifting regulations, multistate compliance headaches, and legal risks that can derail even the best human resources strategies. But what if there were a better way than always playing defense?

Meet Jonathan Brenner, the California employment attorney who’s built his practice on a radical idea—no problem is truly impossible. In this one-on-one conversation with fellow Epstein Becker Green attorney George Whipple, Jonathan pulls back the curtain on how sophisticated employers are navigating California’s legal minefield.

As featured in #WorkforceWednesday®: This week, we examine the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) recent opinion letters clarifying critical Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) compliance standards, alongside the growing complexity of the state-level paid leave landscape.

While the recent DOL guidance provides long-awaited clarity on FMLA and FLSA compliance, the rapid expansion of state-level paid leave mandates is adding a new layer of regulatory risk.

In this episode of Employment Law This Week®, Epstein Becker Green attorney Genevieve Murphy-Bradacs discusses what these FMLA clarifications and the patchwork of state laws mean for employers.

In the wake of this country’s longest federal shutdown, federal courts were facing unprecedented decision-making whether to stay civil proceedings implicating federal employees and agencies.

The Anti-Deficiency Act prohibits federal agencies from spending beyond their allotted funding and simultaneously restricts federal employees from working on a volunteer basis. The Act provides, in relevant part:

An officer or employee of the United States Government or of the District of Columbia government may not accept voluntary services for either government or employ personal services exceeding that authorized by law except for emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.

31 U.S.C. § 1342 (emphasis added).

During lapses in federal funding, voluntary services are only authorized in very limited circumstances, but the parameters of the “safety of human life” or “protection of property” exceptions have not been uniformly defined nor applied across the courts.

As another busy year for our Employment, Labor & Workforce Management clients came to a close, we asked our attorneys what issues were top of mind for our nationwide clients in 2025.

The results of this informal survey provide the opportunity not only to reflect on the challenges confronted by the global organizations we are privileged to represent, but also to prepare for what the legal landscape might hold in 2026.