Labor & Employment Law Update

A recent decision from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals tackled the question of when an employer is obligated to provide leave as a disability accommodation when the leave request is for an indefinite length of time. In Coffman v. Nexstar Media Inc., the Fourth Circuit upheld the dismissal of a former employee’s claims under the West Virginia Human Rights Act  and the Family and Medical Leave Act, finding that her request for additional leave after a six-month absence and no definite return date was not a reasonable accommodation. The Fourth Circuit’s ruling highlights that while employers must provide reasonable accommodations for disabilities, they are not required to grant open-ended or indefinite leave to satisfy their obligations.

On July 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) released updated E-Verify compliance information related to revoked Employment Authorization Documents (“EADs”) for certain noncitizens whose parole status under the CHNV (Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela) parole program has been terminated.

This stems from a decision on May 30, 2025, in which the U.S. Supreme Court allowed DHS to terminate CHNV parole and revoke the work authorization status for individuals in the program. As a result, DHS indicated that it is revoking the EADs to individuals on a case-by-case basis. DHS indicated it has issued direct notifications informing affected individuals of the termination of their parole and revocation of their parole-based EADs. E-Verify employers must be aware of and understand these new compliance obligations related to revoked EADs.

On April 21, 2025, a California Court of Appeal held employees working six hours or less in a single workday can prospectively waive their mandatory meal periods. The ruling provided clarification on a long-standing question: whether a meal period waiver must be executed each time an employee chooses to skip their break, or if a single, advance waiver is legally sufficient under California law.

On December 12, 2024, the the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its revision to the personal protective equipment (PPE) standard for construction to ensure properly fitting PPE for all construction workers.

With the presidential election on November 5 rapidly approaching, registered voters are exploring various options for casting their ballots on Election Day. Given the vast differences in voting leave amongst states, employers should familiarize themselves with the laws in any state where they have employees and make key decision-makers aware of them.