Hunton Employment & Labor Perspectives

The National Labor Relations Board’s (“NLRB”) then-acting General Counsel recently issued Memorandum GC 26-01, announcing a new, agency-wide docketing procedure that significantly reshapes how charges are processed. This move comes in response to a growing backlog, which has been exacerbated by both the unprecedented 43-day government shutdown and persistent staffing shortages in regional offices.

The California Supreme Court is poised to address a fundamental question in employment law: Can an arbitration agreement be enforced when its operative terms are illegible?

As employers continue finding new ways to use artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools and software to support business operations, state legislators have taken notice.

California has enacted a number of new laws that will impact employers in 2026.  Please join Hunton’s California labor and employment lawyers as they discuss new legislation and other legal developments affecting employers.

Artificial intelligence (“AI”) has become an ever-increasing presence in the workplace.  AI can help employees focus on more meaningful work by eliminating certain rote tasks including note taking or transcribing meetings.  But, as with any workplace tool, some notes of caution are necessary.

The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Board”) has a quorum for the first time in nearly a year. 

Every January, new California employment laws take effect and 2026 is no different, bringing changes to employment contracts, pay data reporting, paid family leave, and other employment-related topics. The following list highlights five new California employment laws for employers to be aware of in the year ahead.

The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”), does not have a safety standard specifically addressing extreme weather. Instead, OSHA relies on the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act to address identified hazards to workers in extreme weather. The General Duty Clause requires employers to provide employees “a place of employment which [is] free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.”

On November 6, 2025, the Eighth Circuit issued its decision in Home Depot U.S.A. v. NLRB, reaffirming the right of employers to prohibit employees (particularly those in customer-facing roles) from wearing politically-charged insignia on their work uniforms. 

Hunton’s Labor and Employment Team has been recognized as nationwide leaders by Benchmark Litigation’s 2026 Labor and Employment guide. The Labor and Employment Team was recognized as a Tier 1 law firm nationwide.