“Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” (Order) is one of President Trump’s most recent executive orders. The Order was signed on January 21, 2025. The Order revoked Executive Order EO11246 (EO11246), along with several other previously enacted executive orders aimed at promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. EO11246 has been in effect since 1965. The White House stated in a fact sheet that the Order will streamline the federal contracting process to “enhance speed and efficiency, reduce costs, and require Federal contractors and subcontractors to comply with [] civil rights laws.”
Continue Reading President Trump Revokes Executive Order 11246
Robert Horton
As chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group, Bob Horton represents management in all areas of labor and employment law. Bob’s practice consists primarily of counseling clients regarding employment issues and defending companies against all manner of employment claims throughout the U.S.
Navigating 2025 Pay Transparency Laws: What Employers Need to Know Across States
Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey and Vermont have each enacted pay transparency laws which are effective in 2025 and Illinois amended its Equal Pay Act to include pay transparency requirements effective as of January 1, 2025. Enactment of pay transparency laws and equal pay laws is trending across the nation, as a means for states to address the ongoing concern of gender and minority-based pay disparities.
Continue Reading Navigating 2025 Pay Transparency Laws: What Employers Need to Know Across StatesWebinar | Recent Legal Developments and Post-Election Insights for Employers

Join us for a webinar where we will address important employment law developments, discuss current challenges for employers, and provide insight into potential changes impacting employers following the upcoming election.
Continue Reading Webinar | Recent Legal Developments and Post-Election Insights for EmployersFederal Court Blocks FTC Non-Compete Rule Nationwide
Today, the federal district court for the Northern District of Texas, in Ryan LLC v. Federal Trade Commission [FTC] (opinion found here), “set aside” with nationwide effect, the FTC “Non-Compete Rule.” The federal district court held that the FTC exceeded its statutory authority in promulgating the Non-Compete Rule, concluding “the text and the structure of the FTC Act reveal the FTC lacks substantive rulemaking authority with respect to unfair methods of compensation….”
Continue Reading Federal Court Blocks FTC Non-Compete Rule NationwideNotices Under FTC Rule on Non-Competes: What Should I Be Doing Now?
As previously covered on our HR Law Talk blog, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) non-compete ban (FTC Rule or the Rule) is scheduled to take effect on September 4, 2024. Issued in April, the FTC Rule prohibits all non-competes arising out of employment relationships – with the exception of existing agreements with “senior executives,” as defined by the Rule. Although many legal experts have hypothesized that the federal courts would enjoin the Rule, the future of the FTC Rule remains uncertain. Accordingly, employers must remain informed on the most recent court rulings involving the FTC Rule and prepare as though it will take effect on September 4.
Continue Reading Notices Under FTC Rule on Non-Competes: What Should I Be Doing Now?NLRB Withdraws Appeal of Joint Employer Rule
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has dropped its appeal of a Texas federal judge’s order striking down its new, expansive joint employer rule. As readers may recall, late last year the NLRB issued a rule broadening the definition of joint employer, which would have significantly increased the number of entities that may be deemed joint employers and thus share responsibility for complying with the National Labor Relations Act.
Continue Reading NLRB Withdraws Appeal of Joint Employer RuleFederal Court Enjoins FTC From Implementing Non-Compete Ban
A federal judge in the Northern District of Texas has enjoined the Federal Trade Commission from implementing its Rule banning non-compete agreements and stayed the effective date of the Rule while the underlying lawsuit against the Rule proceeds, but only with respect to the parties to the lawsuit.
Continue Reading Federal Court Enjoins FTC From Implementing Non-Compete BanSupreme Court Overturns Landmark Chevron Decision: Expect Impact on Employment Decisions
On June 28, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Chevron decision, which had required courts to uphold a federal agency’s interpretation of a statute as long as it was reasonable. Now, courts are required to exercise their independent judgment in deciding whether an agency has acted within its statutory authority, and courts may not defer to an agency’s interpretation of the law simply because a statute is ambiguous.
Continue Reading Supreme Court Overturns Landmark Chevron Decision: Expect Impact on Employment DecisionsScope and Impact of the FTC’s Non-Compete Rule for Employers
On April 23, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted to adopt a monumental final rule prohibiting employers from entering into non-competes against all workers within the jurisdiction of the FTC – a move that is poised to reshape how employers approach employment agreements.
Continue Reading Scope and Impact of the FTC’s Non-Compete Rule for EmployersFTC’s New Ban on Non-Compete Agreements and Potential Impact on Nonprofit Healthcare Companies
For healthcare provider companies, a critical question about the FTC’s decision is whether it applies to nonprofit entities. I recently analyzed the impact on the healthcare industry of the vote by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to move forward with a final rule banning non-compete agreements for an article in Modern Healthcare.
Continue Reading FTC’s New Ban on Non-Compete Agreements and Potential Impact on Nonprofit Healthcare Companies