In April the FTC issued a final rule largely banning noncompetes nationwide. The groundbreaking ruling has the potential to shake up the job market. With millions potentially affected, what's at stake for employers and employees? Dive in to explore alternatives and unravel potential impacts. Will this ruling revolutionize the workplace or spark a legal battleground?

In today's economic environment, many companies have difficulty hiring and retaining sufficient staff to operate. More small and mid-sized companies without dedicated internal administrative or HR staff partner with Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) to help offload administrative burdens. In addition to providing HR, benefits, and payroll administration, PEOs often offer Employment Practices Liability (EPL) coverage to protect client companies against employee claims of wrongful termination, retaliation, harassment, discrimination, or other workplace claims.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers moved quickly to develop and implement remote work-from-home protocols to protect employees. Almost a year since it all began, employers are starting to develop return to work plans.

A supervisor at a midsize business is watching the evening news, when she sees a disturbing video of people smashing windows and looting stores in the city where her company is based. What she sees next shocks her: one of the looters is not wearing a face mask, despite the coronavirus, and she realizes as he passes the camera that he’s one of her longtime employees.

As businesses of all sizes strive to protect their employees and preserve cash flow during the coronavirus pandemic, likely the last thing on most of their minds is employment practices liability (EPL) exposures. But EPL risks are higher during pandemics and other periods when employers are more likely to furlough, lay off or ask employees to work from home.