Insights

Washington – January 4, 2018: Crowell & Moring LLP is pleased to announce that it has elected seven lawyers to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2018. The firm has also promoted 23 associates to the position of counsel. The new partners have been promoted from within the ranks of the firm’s Washington, New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles offices, and underscore the firm’s commitment to its Government Contracts, Litigation, Corporate, Environment & Natural Resources, International Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, and Labor & Employment practices.

On September 4, 2026, the IRS published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) titled “Racial Nondiscrimination in Private Schools” (REG-119986-25). The proposed rule would extend the prohibition against racial discrimination in private schools to policies and practices that are intended to serve “remedial or diversity-related objectives,” such as those commonly associated with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Under the proposed rule, any private primary or secondary school, college, professional or trade school, or university, would lose its tax-exempt status if it adopts, maintains, or enforces any policy or practice that considers race, color, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of any admissions policy, scholarship or loan program, athletic program, or other school-administered program. Comments are due November 3, 2026, and, if finalized, the proposed rule would go into effect on May 31, 2027. 

On August 21, 2026, the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) published three coordinated final rules that eliminate – from a regulatory perspective – federal contractor affirmative action requirements for women and minorities and narrow contractor affirmative action requirements regarding individuals with disabilities. The final rules: (1) formally rescind the implementing regulations for Executive Order (EO) 11246 effective October 26, 2026; (2) narrow Section 503 affirmative action requirements regarding individuals with disabilities, generally effective September 21, 2026; and (3) update VEVRAA coverage thresholds and enforcement procedures effective September 21, 2026.

On June 18, 2026, the Illinois Department of Labor took a long-anticipated step by adopting comprehensive amendments to 56 Ill. Adm. Code Part 320, the administrative rules implementing the pay transparency requirements of the Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 (820 ILCS 112, the Act).

Class actions are alive and well in the world of employment law. Much is happening, and there’s plenty more to come, says Rebecca Springer, a Crowell & Moring partner who serves as talent and inclusion lead in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice.

Join us for a discussion on how President Obama has used Executive Orders to replace Congressional action in creating new obligations for federal contractors and other employers.

Please join us for the next edition of Third Thursday – Crowell & Moring’s Labor and Employment Update, a webinar series dedicated to helping our clients stay on top of developing law and emerging compliance issues.

Please join us for the next edition of Third Thursday – Crowell & Moring’s Labor and Employment Update, a webinar series dedicated to helping our clients stay on top of developing law and emerging compliance issues. Only five months in, 2014 has already been a very busy year for the Office of Federal Compliance Programs (OFCCP).  This month’s program will focus on recent developments in affirmative action and OFCCP enforcement initiatives. 

Make plans to join members of Crowell & Moring’s Education Group for a two-part overview of where the regulations and polices may be headed in the new Biden Administration. We will also highlight hot topics and new developments for 2021. Topics to be discussed include:

Make plans to join members of Crowell & Moring’s Education Group for a two-part overview of where the regulations and polices may be headed in the new Biden Administration. We will also highlight hot topics and new developments for 2021. Topics to be discussed include:

In this episode, Crowell's Rebecca Springer and Katie Aber examine the evolving legislative and regulatory landscape governing the use of AI-powered tools in hiring and workforce management. It provides employers with an overview of the legal risks associated with deploying such tools—encompassing both emerging legislation/regulation and longstanding anti-discrimination frameworks—and offers employers best practices to effectively mitigate those risks. The Lightning Round podcast is Crowell's monthly rundown on developments and trends in the Labor and Employment space.

In this episode, Crowell’s Rebecca Springer and Katie Erno break down the latest U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Trump v. Slaughter and West Virginia v. BPJ, unpacking the most important takeaways for employers. The Lightning Round podcast is Crowell's monthly rundown on developments and trends in the Labor and Employment space.

In this episode, Crowell’s Rebecca Springer and Cecilia Lahaye discuss the EU Pay Transparency Directive. The June 7, 2026, deadline for member states to transpose the Directive into national laws has passed, but many member states have not yet finalized legislation. This podcast discusses the fundamentals of the Directive and what employers should be thinking about to ensure they are in compliance as the legal landscape evolves. The Lightning Round podcast is Crowell's monthly rundown on developments and trends in the Labor and Employment space.