As 2016 begins, there are already trends popping up within the employment law arena. As the year progresses, here’s what employers can expect:

1. Increase in FSLA initiatives and enforcement

There’s a lot going on with wages right now, especially with the advances in technology and rise of companies such as Uber. The Department of Labor proposed changes to the parameters of exempt status. The proposed changes will increase the number of employees eligible for minimum wage and overtime.

1. Expansion of the National Labor Relations Board’s efforts to increase unionization

2016 will be the first full year of the NLRB’s new election rules. It’s also expected that there will be more pro-union decisions and initiatives this year.

1. Expansion of Equal Employment Opportunity laws to include LGBT protections

There have been an increase in efforts to increase LGBT non-discrimination rights. This is expected to continue advancing in 2016, at not only a national level, but at state and local levels as well.

1. Increased focus on employee privacy protection

With a multitude of data breaches recently, there will be more discussion and action taken in the way of customer and employee data. The FTC has also started enforcing its authority over trade practices deemed unfair or deceptive to regulate data security.

1. Employer reliance on wellness programs

With healthcare costs on the rise, employers are looking more into wellness programs to help cut costs. With many apps and wearable devices surfacing, it’s creating incentives that employers can offer to employees for participating.

1. Ban the Box

This movement is looking to prevent employers from asking job candidates about prior criminal convictions on their employment applications. It’s expected to gain traction as 2016 progresses.

1. Immigration

With the election happening this year, there is a lot of discussion about federal immigration policies. The presidential candidates are continuously bringing this subject to the forefront, and whoever wins will most likely try to push their policy through congress in 2017.

Keeping up with employment law trends and changes can be a difficult task. In-house counsel is up-to-date on what is happening with employment law and can keep their clients aware of new policies. This way, employers reduce the risk of employment-related litigation. Whether a business is looking for part-time or full-time in-house counsel, InnovaCounsel offers both options.