Although the birthright citizenship ruling removes one source of uncertainty, employers are still facing a busy second half of the year, with major developments expected on H-1B costs, prevailing wage requirements, and the rules affecting international students and other nonimmigrant workers.

What the Supreme Court Decided

The Court’s decision reaffirmed the constitutional principle that individuals born in the United States are citizens from birth, subject to a narrow and historically recognized exception for children born to foreign diplomats. The ruling rejected the federal government’s effort to narrow that rule through an executive order.

From a practical standpoint, the ruling does not change an employer’s existing operations. The ruling also reinforces a practical boundary: Sweeping changes to U.S. citizenship cannot be made through unilateral executive action. Immigration policy may change through regulation, agency action, litigation, or legislation, but employers should be cautious about reacting to proposals before they become legally effective.

What’s Next: H-1B Fees, Wages and Student Pipelines

While the birthright citizenship ruling provides clarity, several other immigration developments could directly affect hiring budgets, workforce planning and talent pipelines for employers.

One closely watched issue is the $100,000 supplemental fee for certain new H-1B petitions. In December 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia upheld the fee. In June 2026, however, a federal district court in Massachusetts vacated the fee, holding that it functioned as an unlawful tax and exceeded the president’s statutory authority. These conflicting rulings create a landscape ripe for clarification at the appellate level.

For employers, the practical point is that the fee remains unsettled. HR teams should monitor the litigation closely, avoid assuming the fee is either fully reinstated or fully suspended, and consult immigration counsel before moving forward with H-1B filings.

The Department of Labor’s proposed prevailing wage rule could also have significant consequences for employers. Prevailing wage levels are central to many employment-based immigration filings, including H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and PERM labor certification cases. The public comment period closed in May 2026, and the final rule has not yet been issued. The rule may be modified in response to comments and could face legal challenges once finalized. If adopted in its current form, the rule would significantly increase employers’ wage obligations, resulting in higher sponsorship costs and more difficult compensation alignment, particularly for positions at entry-level or mid-level salary bands.

DHS’s move to end “duration of status” for certain visa categories may also impact the future workforce pipeline. Currently, F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors may remain in the United States for the duration of their programs, rather than being admitted until a fixed calendar date. Moving to fixed admission periods could create additional filing deadlines, increase the need for extension requests, and raise the risk of gaps or inadvertent status violations. For employers, the impact would likely be felt most acutely in campus recruiting and early-career hiring.

What the Birthright Citizenship Ruling Means for HR

The birthright citizenship ruling does not require any action from employers, but it is a reminder that immigration developments can affect employees well beyond the visa process. HR teams should continue to monitor potential changes to H-1B fees, prevailing wage requirements and student visa rules.

Employers should avoid making operational changes based on headlines alone. The more reliable course is to maintain compliant processes and carefully evaluate current legal requirements before making any changes to company policies.

Steve Smalley, business immigration shareholder in Raleigh and Boston at Ogletree Deakins, and Jennifer Cofer, business immigration associate in Raleigh at Ogletree Deakins, also contributed to this article.

Maybe it’s because we don’t want to negatively impact the company culture that we’ve worked so hard to create. Or we’re afraid that talking about the deceased will cause further pain instead of easing it.

Why We Tiptoe around Death in the Workplace

In the workplace, we have a tendency to tiptoe around certain conversations, including death. It’s not because we don’t care but because we feel poorly equipped to navigate the conversation with the grace it deserves. Most companies are designed to keep things moving forward, and death interrupts that. When we lose a member of our team, it leaves no room for avoidance. And there’s no playbook on how best to respond.

I’ve struggled with this myself. In the last few months, loss has touched my company in ways I never could have anticipated: My team unexpectedly lost our CFO, along with three members of our broader Anna Griffin, Inc. community.

Each loss left its own mark on our team, and I quickly realized that there was so much more I could be doing to make support after death a part of my company culture, especially when it comes to losing a team member.

What Support Can Look Like

The way we handle the death of an employee sets the tone for the rest of our team. It’s a lot of responsibility, but also an opportunity to cultivate a culture of genuine empathy.

From my experience, here are a few things we can do to meaningfully support our teams:

Allow People to Express Their Grief

Creating a workplace culture where people feel comfortable enough to express their grief is one of the most important things you can do. Yes, that means letting people cry, as uncomfortable as it may initially feel, to witness such vulnerability.

But our team members are not just employees. They are whole people, and they show up to work as such. Grief is one of the hardest human experiences, and losing a colleague can take a huge toll on your entire team. Instead of trying to just move on, make space where people can talk openly about their grieving process and share stories about the team member you all have lost.

Consider sending a company-wide email letting your team know that you are here as a listening ear if they need someone to talk to or need to be pointed in the right direction for additional support resources. You might also offer flexible time off and remote work options, not just in the immediate but in the weeks that follow, with the understanding that grief is not a linear process.

Help Employees Transition the Workload

The reality is, even under tragic circumstances, the work doesn’t stop. It’s a delicate balance of delegating responsibilities from the deceased team member without overwhelming your staff.

The key is being realistic and flexible about performance expectations and timelines. Some team members might cope by jumping right into tasks, while others may need more time to get back into the rhythm of things. Instead of making assumptions, discuss capacity with your employees. Delegate what you can, with the option of pausing non-essential duties to avoid burnout.

Make It Personal

Beyond your team, you can extend support to your lost employee’s loved ones, too.

Sending cards and flowers to a deceased team member’s family is a wonderful gesture. But the key is making it personal. Too often, we are afraid to say the wrong thing or even talk about the departed person to avoid adding to the grief. So, we opt for the generic “I’m sorry for your loss” or, worse, say nothing at all.

Yet people who have lost a family member or friend typically welcome personal anecdotes about their life and legacy. When I’ve written to the families of team members and community members we’ve lost, I’ve made it a point to include something specific: a story about the way they lit up a room, a project they poured their heart into, or a small moment that captured who they really were.

One of the most powerful things you can tell a grieving family is something they didn’t already know, like the way their loved one mentored a newer colleague or the joke they told every Monday morning that became a workplace tradition. These details are gifts. They tell a family that their person mattered here, that they were valued not just for their work, but for who they were.

For smaller, closely knit teams, these stories come naturally. For larger companies, it may take a bit more effort to find. But it’s well worth your time to gather stories from your colleagues, as a heartfelt card will be treasured in ways that a standard sympathy note won’t be.

Try to Lessen the Load

Death can make life so complicated for the people who are left behind. But as an employer, you have a unique place to be proactive and help lessen the load.

When it comes to employee benefits, you might consider adding funeral cost coverage to the equation. Or, from the planning perspective, you might give your team members the option to have their last wishes added to formal insurance documents, so it’s one less thing their loved ones have to worry about in the case of their death.

I’m also a big fan of acts of kindness, so depending on the size and dynamic of your team, you can think of creative ways to come together to provide support to the family after the passing. That might be volunteering time to help with day-to-day responsibilities like meals, which can quickly get overwhelming in the middle of grief. Whatever you decide on, you can create a simple, opt-in way for employees to contribute without placing pressure on anyone or overwhelming loved ones with outreach.

There’s nothing easy about losing a team member. But by building a culture where grief is handled with honesty and grace, you create the kind of trust that carries your team through the hardest moments. That is the kind of workplace people never forget.

Employees know more about discrimination and are more prepared than ever to file. And the EEOC is ready to respond and act on employees’ behalf.

Are you ready for this?

What’s Up in This Episode: Discrimination Claims Rise

We’ll help you prepare in this episode of HRMorning’s 3-Point. We talk with Michael Cohen, a Partner in the Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice at Duane Morris LLC, on why EEOC claims are increasing and what employers can do to ensure their employees are safe so they aren’t on the receiving end of a complaint.

Click, watch and listen for more details on why discrimination claims are on the rise and how you can avoid claims against you.

Transcript (edited for clarity):

This is a difficult truth, but you need to prepare for more discrimination claims. In this episode of the 3-Point, you’ll see why there’s an increase and how you can better prepare for the possibility of a claim against you. First, here’s part of the reason the EEOC is receiving and responding to more inquiries every year.

Michael Cohen, Partner-Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice, Duane Morris LLC: “The more people are aware of what their rights are under the different employment laws, whether it’s Title VI, whether it’s the age act, whether it’s the disabilities act. I think as people become more aware, claims are going to increase. And what we certainly know, or at least have experienced, but I think know, is that the younger generations are much more savvy and are much more aware of what their rights are and what they don’t have to tolerate than what we were aware of and what we thought we had to tolerate when we were in their position.”

So, it’s a matter of awareness. Employees know today what’s not acceptable. And they won’t put up with it. What do all employees need instead?

Cohen: “We want to make sure people are treated fairly. We want to make sure we create an environment that is as comfortable as possible, as much of the time as possible, for as many as possible. And if that means younger generations letting us know that there are certain behaviors that somebody who starts every sentence with the phrase, ‘Back in my day,” is engaging in. Then, good, we need those people around because times change. More has changed. Behavior has to change.”

Here’s proof that it is changing. The EEOC recovered a record-breaking $528 million for victims last year in the pre-litigation enforcement process — and another $100 million through dispute resolution and investigations. That doesn’t even cover what could happen after a complaint goes through the EEOC.

Cohen: “So even if the EEOC says, ‘There’s no probable cause to believe there’s discrimination,’ or the EEOC dismisses out of hand a charge, a right-to-sue order is issued. The employee or former employee still has the right at that point to file suit in federal court.”

So there’s a good chance an EEOC complaint isn’t the end of a discrimination claim. But if you have a solid internal reporting process, you might be able to avert some or all EEOC complaints. Three tips from a previous HRMorning story:

• Set and enforce clear expectations. That means zero tolerance and immediate repercussions.
• Make reporting easy and safe. Give employees clear options and full confidentiality.
• Respond clearly and quickly. Your response sets the tone for any reports that follow.

You can get more details on those tips and more by clicking the story, “New Study: What 2026 Data Reveals About Reporting Workplace Harassment.” And as always, thanks for joining me on this episode.

In April, Gov. Wes Moore signed SB 94, significantly overhauling the state’s earned wage access framework. The law takes effect Oct. 1, 2026.

The most notable change for employers is the prohibition on EWA providers soliciting, charging or accepting tips from employees using the service – practices that critics compare to a fee in disguise.  

Under the amended law, EWA providers will be required to disclose in their service contracts that tips are prohibited. They must also offer at least one no-cost access option and explain how to use it. Additional provisions address advertising restrictions, anti-discrimination protections, and a good-faith reliance safe harbor for EWA providers acting on written guidance from state regulators.

If your organization offers EWA to Maryland employees, contact your EWA vendor now and ask what compliance steps it is taking. Confirm that your vendor is removing tipping from its program, will complete any required contract updates before Oct. 1, and will update required employee disclosures.

A Patchwork Getting More Complex

Maryland isn’t alone. Across the country, states are moving quickly to regulate EWA, but they’re not taking the same approach. As of mid-2026, 12 states have enacted EWA-specific legislation, creating an increasingly complex compliance landscape for multistate employers.

Nine states – Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin – have passed laws explicitly stating that EWA is not a loan, typically requiring registration, fee disclosures, and, in many cases, a no-cost option.

Meanwhile, Connecticut and California have enacted laws treating EWA as a form of credit subject to consumer lending rules. Maryland also treats EWA as a form of credit. SB 94 builds on the state’s existing framework by prohibiting tips and expanding disclosure requirements.

Pending Earned Wage Access Legislation

New York has two competing bills in play. The Stop Taking Our Pay Act, introduced in January, would classify all EWA advances as loans subject to the state’s 16% civil usury cap. A separate bill would take the opposite approach, regulating EWA through licensing and disclosure requirements without treating it as credit. Neither has passed.

At the federal level, H.R. 9330, the Earned Wage Access Consumer Protection Act, would classify EWA as non-credit nationwide and preempt state laws that treat EWA as credit. The bill cleared the House Financial Services Committee on June 30, 2026, but has no Senate companion, so its path forward remains uncertain.

Action Steps

Even when an employer uses a third-party EWA provider, compliance responsibility stays with the employer. You’ll want to:

• Review your EWA vendor contract now for tipping provisions, fee structures and repayment methods before Maryland’s Oct. 1 deadline
• Confirm your EWA vendor is properly registered or licensed in each state where you have employees (and that your contract reflects that)
• Map your workforce against the 12 states with EWA-specific laws and identify any gaps in compliance, and
• Monitor the federal preemption bill. If enacted, it could significantly change the state-by-state compliance landscape.

Perhaps they’re embarrassed of the situation. Or uncomfortable sharing a difficult truth. Or they don’t like to admit mistakes.

Overthinking the Hardest Things to Admit?

Take, for example, a time when you had a difficult message and, rather than just saying it, you kept trying to find the exact words over and over in your head.

Well, the reason something might be hard to say could be a matter of overthinking the meaning behind it. What you believe employees will think or how they’ll react probably isn’t bad at all.

So, here are a few of the hardest things to admit and how to say them anyway:

‘I’m out of new ideas’

There’s nothing wrong with a manager admitting when he or she is tapped out. Sometimes, the creative juices just aren’t flowing.

But managers sometimes find it hard to admit because, after all, aren’t all the great new approaches supposed to come from you?

Short answer is: no.

Admitting to employees that you’ve run out of fresh takes tells them that their input is just as valuable as yours. And it will spur employee creativity.

Rephrase: “We need an idea for a new sales initiative, and all my concepts have been done before. Let’s put our heads together.“

‘I changed my mind’

What’s so bad about this? Many managers feel they’re admitting that they didn’t think fully through an initial decision. Now they fear it will make them sound unsure or flaky.

It’s easier to say if you give your team enough detail about why you’re revisiting a decision. Plus, you’ll want to let them know immediately if your new plan will affect them and how.

Rephrase: “I’ve given the matter some thought and think we’d be better off going with Plan B, not Plan A, as I had originally announced.“

‘I’m really disappointed‘

It’s difficult to tell their employees or whole teams they’ve underperformed at something. So difficult, it’s tempting to gloss over the bad stuff with an “it’s all good” to cushion the blow.

But sometimes, we managers need to let it really hit the fan to bring home the importance of what happened. While there’s value in seeing the bright side, expressing disappointment may be the only way to right the ship.

“If it’s always ‘all good,’ then there’s nothing to change, fix or shift,” says Kris Boesch, CEO and founder of Choose People. “Which, if you think about it from a team’s perspective, is concerning. If the boat is sinking and ‘it’s all good,’ we’re all going to drown while our leader is in a state of denial.”

It’s okay to harness some negative emotions to get your team motivated to act. So relay your disappointment and immediately follow with your commitment to the team.

Rephrase: ” … and that’s why I’m disappointed. We came up short this time. But we’ve at least got some starting points to learn from in the future.”

‘I’m not sure this is working’

When managers say this, what they’re really telling an employee is: “I’m not sure you’re working.” But, of course, that’s one of the hardest things to admit, and you don’t want to say it outright. So we resort to the vague “this” to disguise the real problem: an employee just isn’t cutting it.

It’s difficult to say, but the consequences of not saying it could be worse: The employee ends up floundering in the position, doing neither himself nor your department any good.

The key to bringing up this difficult subject is to be armed with specifics: facts and real-life examples that support your opinion. Otherwise, it just sounds like you’re being critical for no reason.

Rephrase: “Let’s talk about your comfort level with the job and possibly reevaluating your position.“

‘I’m sorry’

It’s hard to say you’re sorry for just about anything without looking vulnerable.

So face that fact. Then break down exactly why you need to apologize.

It’s important because you don’t want to overdo an apology. And you don’t want to under-do it either.

Planning what you intend to say also helps you focus on why you’re apologizing. Was it a result of a misunderstanding? Did you make a hasty move that resulted in harm?

You want to include that in your response, not as an excuse, but to show an understanding of what happened and why. And you want your employee to appreciate that you’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Rephrase: “I must have misunderstood your plan, which is why I didn’t present it; I’m really sorry about that.“

‘I screwed up’

Good managers own up to mistakes. But it’s still difficult to tell your team you goofed.

Depending on the size of your screw-up, a sheepish “My bad” probably won’t cut it. While you don’t want to overstate the mistake, the important thing is not to downplay your error entirely. If you do, it’ll come across to employees as if you don’t take your mistakes as seriously as theirs.

When you realize a problem your team now faces is a result of your dumb move – either directly or indirectly – own up to what you did to cause the problem and express a desire to resolve it.

Like “I’m sorry,” put this one in perspective. Targeting your exact mistake can help you tell yourself what you did wrong so you can avoid it later.

Rephrase: “I miscalculated how long it would take us to get our initial phase up and running, which is why Phase 2 is running behind schedule. I’m sorry this is affecting your schedules and duties.”

The City Council approved the pause May 20 in a near-unanimous 49-1 vote, and Mayor
Brandon Johnson let it stand — so the July 1 change didn’t take effect.

The bottom line: The tip credit stays at 24% of the $16.60 minimum wage — at least $12.62 an
hour for tipped employees — rather than moving to the scheduled 16% credit.

Employers with more than 21 employees must finish the phase-out by 2030; those with three to 21 employees, by 2033.

It’s a question that nearly all HR pros need answered so they can create a plan that works best for employees.

Benefits Trends for All Employers

Here, we’ve gathered the most current benefits trends and what they’ll mean for HR pros across industries and company sizes.

1. Employers Become the Anchor

Employees not only rely on their employers for benefits: They trust their employers to provide them with and steer them to the benefits that are right for them, right now.

Nearly three-quarters of employees are confident they will have employer-sponsored benefits that fit their needs, despite legislative uncertainty, according to ADP’s TotalSource Employee Benefits Survey.

“As external confidence in the healthcare system weakens, employees increasingly look inward to their employers for stability and reassurance,” the researchers noted.

What employees say they value most:

• Medical insurance (93%)
• 401(k) retirement savings plans (63%), and
• Dental insurance (60%).

Fast tip: While you’ll always need to keep organizational priorities in focus when creating benefits plans, you can still gather feedback from employees on their needs and work to accommodate most.

2. Employers Are the Navigator

While employees expect and believe that their employers will provide them with the benefits options they want, they also hope you’ll help them navigate it all.

Almost 80% of employees say they want personalized guidance on benefit choices, according to Voya’s most recent State of the Employee Benefits.

“Feeling confident about benefits starts with being informed, educated, and connected—not just during open enrollment, but year‑round,” says Pat Tupper, Head of Benefitfocus at Voya.

Fast tip: Both studies emphasized personal guidance during enrollment. Even better, start education outreach before the actual enrollment process starts. That can help employees identify their areas of interest, needs for clarity and questions that must be answered.

3. Employers, Employees Focus on Preventive Healthcare

The total health benefit cost per employee increased by 8% in the past year, the Voya researchers found. The causes include:

• Sub-optimal health care usage. For instance, nearly two-thirds of emergency room visits are non-emergent or are treatable in lower-cost settings such as primary care, telehealth and urgent care centers.
• Chronic conditions management. This spend increased 2% year-over-year primarily due to a 12% jump in prescription costs
• Rising pharmacy spend. Bottom line: Pharmacy costs are the largest portion of total benefits spending at nearly 30%. Nearly 60% of the prescription spend is for brand drugs, 35% is for specialty prescriptions and 7% is for generics.

Fast tip: Voya researchers emphasized two strategies: 1) Streamlining processes and access to care so employees can quickly get the healthcare they need when they need it, and 2) Communicating often and clearly how employees can access preventative healthcare and the importance of pursuing it.

4. Employees May Make Dangerous Tradeoffs

More than 25% of employees have skipped medical care for themselves or a family member because of out-of-pocket costs, the ADP study found. Twenty-two percent have stopped taking or have taken less medication to save money.

“Cost is not just shaping preferences; it’s influencing real decisions and pushing employees to make decisions that can affect their health care,” the researchers said.

Fast tip: Employees weary of their healthcare costs would benefit from simpler plan design, clearer education, and flexible healthcare and cost options. If you can offer that, you can help employees make cost-conscious choices without sacrificing care and safety.

5. HSAs and FSAs Becoming More Important

Despite pulling back on receiving healthcare, employees are more prepared to handle unexpected costs. But it’s not with confidence.

On average, employees have more than $2,300 set aside for unexpected care. But nearly 40% of employees feel unprepared to handle out-of-pocket expenses, the ADP study found.

“Higher savings have not translated into greater peace of mind for employees navigating healthcare costs,” the researchers noted.

Fast tip: If you don’t offer Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Flexible Savings Accounts (FSAs), consider instituting them. They can help employees save with confidence for healthcare expenses. If you already offer HSAs and FSAs, increase education so they understand how to manage them and decide to enroll.

6. Employees More Anxious about Retirement than Healthcare

Medical insurance may be the most valued benefit, but financial security — specifically, retirement savings — is what keeps employees up at night.

For the first time in the history of the ADP study, retirement savings surpassed dental insurance as a top priority for employees.

“Retirement savings is quickly moving to the center of employee priorities, reflecting
growing awareness of longevity risk, economic uncertainty and the need for stability beyond today’s health care needs,” the researchers said.

Fast tip: You’ll want to prioritize financial wellness through accessible, well-communicated retirement benefits programming. Better yet, make financial education — which would cover all areas of employee financial planning — part of your benefits education and enrollment.

7. Financial Stress Impacts Mental Well-Being

These financial concerns will likely impact mental well-being.

Nearly 80% of employees say financial stress often or sometimes affects their mental health and well‑being, according to the Voya research. Compounding that: About 40% of employees worry about the costs of finding the mental health care they need.

“With rising costs, economic pressure, and growing mental health needs, employers are under real scrutiny to decide where benefit dollars will have the greatest impact,” says Andrew Stocker, President, Employee Benefits at Voya. “When benefits are aligned to actual employee needs, employers can help drive and support healthier behaviors, stronger engagement and better productivity without simply increasing spend.”

Fast tip: When possible, offer tools (usually through your benefits providers) that show employees how to optimally allocate their next-best dollar across health, retirement and emergency savings.

FLSA Violations

The Wage and Hour Division alleged the bars failed to pay some employees for all hours
worked, altered timecards to conceal hours, did not combine hours worked across locations and misclassified some workers as exempt. At one location, two minors allegedly worked beyond permitted hours. The consent order requires:

• $51,775 in back wages for 47 employees
• $31,436 in civil money penalties

“Employers are required by law to pay non-exempt employees for all hours worked, including time-and-a-half pay for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek,” stated Wage and Hour Division District Director Steven McKinney in Manchester, New Hampshire.

When an employee works at more than one location, payroll should combine the hours for
purposes of the 40-hour overtime threshold to ensure FLSA compliance.

In Trump v. Slaughter, the Court concluded that federal agency leaders who exercise executive power can be removed by the President at will. 

Here’s why that matters – and what to watch for now.

The Removal Dispute Behind the Case

When President Trump began his second term in January 2025, he made a lot of fast changes. He issued a slew of executive orders and removed several Democratic members of independent regulatory agencies. 

Rebecca Slaughter was a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) commissioner at the time.

FTC commissioners serve seven-year terms and, under the agency’s governing statute, the President may remove them only “for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.”

In March 2025, Trump fired Slaughter and fellow Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya without citing any of those statutory grounds. Instead, he told them their continued service didn’t align with his administration’s priorities and that he was acting under his authority as President.

Slaughter sued, arguing Trump didn’t have the authority to remove her. 

The district court agreed and ordered her reinstatement, citing Humphrey’s Executor v. United States, a 1935 Supreme Court decision that had long barred the President from removing FTC commissioners at will. 

After the D.C. Circuit declined to pause that order, the government asked the Supreme Court to take up the case before the normal appeals process concluded. The Court agreed.

Court Overturns Nearly a Century of Precedent

In a 6-3 decision, the Court held “the FTC’s for-cause removal provision violates the separation of powers,” clarifying that the President may remove his subordinates at will.  

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Roberts reasoned that the Constitution vests executive power in the President alone, and that officials who exercise executive functions must answer to him directly. Specifically, the Court found that the FTC’s current powers, including rulemaking, investigations, in-house enforcement actions and civil litigation, are executive in nature. As such, the Court reversed the district court’s ruling in Slaughter’s favor and remanded the case.

The ruling overturns Humphrey’s Executor, which had shielded FTC commissioners from removal without cause for nearly 100 years.

Although the decision involved the FTC, its implications may extend beyond that agency. Similar removal questions could arise at other independent federal agencies, including those involved in labor and employment matters.

“The case likely allows the President (including future presidents) to unilaterally remove officials at agencies who had previously been able to serve out terms established by Congress,” said James Plunkett, chair of the Governmental Affairs Practice Group at Ogletree Deakins. “This means that the President will theoretically be able to get his or her preferred officials installed at these agencies much more quickly (though political realities, as well as the Senate’s advice and consent function, remain). Going forward, the President’s policy preferences are more likely to flow down to and be advanced by these agencies, which operated more independently prior to Slaughter.”

HR Takeaways

For HR leaders managing compliance and employment risk, here’s what to track: 

• Court decisions addressing whether the ruling applies beyond the FTC, including to agencies such as the EEOC 
• Potentially faster leadership turnover at agencies overseeing labor and employment law following changes in administration, depending on future appointments and confirmations, and
• Possible shifts in enforcement priorities and rulemaking agendas as agency composition becomes more directly tied to the President.

“The Slaughter ruling does not make substantive changes to underlying federal labor and employment law,” Plunkett said. “Employers’ obligations under those statutes – as well as their implementing regulations and interpretive caselaw – remain the same.”

Plunkett noted that the ruling’s impact will likely unfold over time:

“Don’t panic, and don’t go rushing to make knee-jerk changes to policies or operations. The immediate impacts of Slaughter on the employer community are likely minimal, as President Trump already has Republican majorities at agencies like the NLRB and EEOC (more significant will be if the Senate can confirm a third Republican to the NLRB, which will give the Board three Republican votes to overturn Biden-era precedent). The Slaughter impacts will most likely be felt when a new administration seeks to populate agencies with their preferred candidates.” 

Trump v. Slaughter, No. 25–332 (U.S. 6/29/26).

For some working professionals, self-care is a second thought. Or third. Or fourth. Or not at all. What’s more, when some professionals actually think about it, they struggle to direct themselves toward an enjoyable activity.

But that’s exactly what they need.

Make Self-Care a Priority

If you’re looking for new ways to engage in something you’ll enjoy while also maximizing your time, try these options.

Read a Book

Reading a book can be relaxing as well as rewarding. Whether you’re interested in fiction or non-fiction, self-help or drama, there are so many books worth trying.

If you find it difficult to sit down and read a physical book, audiobooks are an option for your commute or exercise time. Reading can also be a relaxing way to learn and develop yourself. Check out some of our recommended reading for professional development:

• The Leadership Innovation Manifesto by Dr. Kim Hires
• The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
• Lead from the Outside by Stacey Abrams, and
• Spark by Angie Morgan, Courtney Lynch, and Sean Lynch.

Talk It Out

Sometimes, just talking to someone we trust about how we’re feeling is a good way to reduce stress. Knowing that someone else understands and supports you through the difficulties you’re dealing with can make stress feel a lot less isolating.

Try talking to a trusted mentor to help relieve the stress you face in your professional life while getting some actionable advice. Or access the tools available through your organization’s benefits plans. These days, nearly all companies have some form of mental well-being benefits that include tools to help all employees manage stress and burnout.

Listen to Podcasts

The number of podcasts available today is practically endless, so no matter what subject interests you, you’ll be able to find a selection of podcasts that cover what’s important. Look for comedy, current events, culture, hobbies, and anything else that interests you.

Specifically geared to professional women, we produce “Women’s Leadership Today,” a podcast to help you develop professionally – tune in today!

Take a Walk Outside

Sometimes the best way to clear your head is to step away from work and get fresh air.

A short walk outside — whether it’s around the block, through a nearby park or circling your parking lot — can help reset your focus and ease tension you didn’t even realize you were carrying.

Plus, when you get some sunlight (even if it’s covered by clouds) and movement into your day — for just 10 or 15 minutes — you can boost your mood and give yourself a fresh perspective on the challenges you face. It doesn’t have to be a big production; even a quick stroll during a break can make a noticeable difference in how you feel for the rest of the day.

Take a Nap

Getting enough sleep is essential when dealing with stress. A good night’s rest can help revitalize you and relieve the anxiety you might be experiencing along with your stress. But even a 20-minute power nap can be beneficial for your physical and mental health. It’s been proven that a well-rested mind is more efficient and productive. So get more done by doing a little less – set aside some time to wind down and rest.

Self-care is important, so if you find yourself trying to manage your stress levels more often, it’s a sign that you need to get focused on your own well-being. Finding ways to relax and refresh while staying productive can help you be ready for another week without becoming overwhelmed.