Tax Deductions on Qualified Tips and a Portion of Overtime Pay
In July 2025, the Trump Administration’s signature budget bill became law as Public Law 119-21.
SCOTUS Clarifies Standard in “Reverse Discrimination” Lawsuits
On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously affirmed the legal burden of proof required to establish a “reverse discrimination” claim. In “reverse discrimination” cases, a member of a majority group alleges they were discriminated against based on their membership in that majority group. The question before the Court was whether majority-group plaintiffs claiming […]
Trump Executive Order Vows to Eliminate Disparate Impact Liability
The Trump Administration has directed a sweeping change to employment discrimination liability under Title VII in its recent executive order titled, “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy.”
USCIS Releases Revised Form I-9
USCIS issued a revised Form I-9 on April 2, 2025 with an edition date of 01/20/25 and an expiration date of 05/31/2027. Although revisions are minor, it is important to use the approved and unexpired versions of the Form I-9.
EEOC and DOJ Warn Against Unlawful DEI-Related Discrimination
On March 16, the EEOC and the Department of Justice (DOJ) warned against DEI-related discrimination in the workplace in a technical assistance document.
Presidential Executive Orders Reject Gender Ideology and Illegal DEI Programs
Employer responses to Executive Orders should be tailored based on corporate and regulatory status, funding sources, and industry. Lake Effect is here to answer your questions and discuss potential implications of these recent Orders.
DOL Final Rule Blocked: No Salary Level Increase for January 1, 2025
With this decision, the federal court rendered all elements of the Final Rule null and void: the July 1, 2024 salary level increase, the January 1, 2025 salary level increase, and planned future increases for both.
NLRB Targets Non-Compete and “Stay-or-Pay” Provisions
Although the FTC’s attempted nationwide ban on noncompetes was blocked by a Texas federal judge in August 2024, that decision has no impact on the NLRB enforcement of employee rights under the NLRA.
New IRS Benefits Limits for 2025
Each year, the IRS sets new limits for ACA high deductible plans, employee benefits plans, flex plans, and retirement plans. Below is Lake Effect’s ready reference chart showing the Benefits Limits for the 2025 tax year. Download Benefits Table 2024 2025 Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) Healthcare FSA max election (per year) (incl. LTD […]
Federal Court Vacates 2021 US Department of Labor Final Rule on Tipped Workers
On August 23, 2024, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas vacated the US Department of Labor (DOL) 2021 Final Rule which had set strict guidance on the payment of tipped employees. As a reminder, the 2021 Rule had established three different categories of work that may be performed by tipped employees and specified […]
