Partial Government Shutdown Closes Most Agencies Responsible For Workplace Regulation

Congress failed to pass annual appropriations or a stopgap measure, resulting in a federal government shutdown effective October 1, 2025. Most workplace enforcement agencies — including the Labor Department’s OFCCP, Wage and Hour Division, and DOL-VETS, along with the EEOC and NLRB — have suspended nearly all operations. Only limited essential functions continue, and agency staff are largely unavailable to...

Ashley Romanias Takes Over As OFCCP Director

The Trump Administration has quietly installed a new Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. While there is no official word yet from the Department of Labor, Ashley Romanias has taken the helm at OFCCP, a key appointment that does not require confirmation by the U.S. Senate. According to her LinkedIn profile, Ms. Romanias began working as a...

FTC Seeks Public Input On Noncompete Agreements

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a “Request for Information Regarding Employer Noncompete Agreements” to help it understand the prevalence and impact of employer noncompete agreements. This follows the agency’s September 5 decision to stop fighting a court decision that blocked a Biden-era rule banning most noncompetes. Noncompete agreements prohibit employees from working for their employer’s competitors or starting a competing business...