Today, February 10th, the opinion of the Connecticut Supreme Court in Del Rio v Amazon.com Services was published, stating that Connecticut requires all “hours worked” to be paid and compensated. This means that time spent by workers undergoing end of shift security checks must be paid, the issue presented in the case.  Employers frequently set up pay clocks prior to the security screens, so workers punch out prior to undergoing security checks. As a result, the time is unpaid. The Connecticut Supreme Court concluded that it was undisputed that defendants were making workers undergo security checks, they were doing so on the premises, and that they were in control of the worker. As a result, the time must be paid.  The Connecticut Case:  Security Screens After Each Shift  The plaintiffs worked at a fulfillment center in North Haven and Windsor. The employer required employees to pass through anti-theft screening that could include metal detectors, X-ray screening of bags, and potential secondary screening. According to case records, security screen times could take only seconds, or could take up to 10–20 minutes.  Employees clocked in at clocks located inside the building after entering, to start a shift. At the end of a shift, employees would clock out, then proceed through the exit screening process. The case was filed as a class action.  Connecticut Supreme Court: You Must Pay for Mandatory Security Screening Time  The Connecticut Supreme Court held that time employees spend on the employer’s premises waiting to undergo, and undergoing, mandatory security screenings are “hours worked” under Connecticut wage law. They also found that Connecticut law does not recognize a “de […]

As of January 1, 2026, Minnesota moved away from flexible “adequate” and “sufficient” break language and replaced it with minimum times, plus employee remedies if breaks aren’t allowed.

If you’re an employee working in Minnesota, see below on what has changed.  You are now entitled to these meal and rest breaks if you work in the state of Minnesota, even if your employer is headquartered in another state, or if you live in another state and travel in to Minnesota to work. 

Washington passed many new employment and wage and hour laws in 2025, with some taking effect July, 2025, and more taking effect January 1st 2026. This post summarizes five major changes in Washington State employment law: 

Washington’s Mini-WARN Act 
Expanded personnel file access rights,  
Pay transparency amendments,  
Prevailing wage updates  
Expanded Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) rules

Here are some of the major employment law and unpaid wage announcements and settlements for October, November, and December 2025. 

In October 2025, the California Attorney General’s Office announced a $10 million judgement for workers misclassified as independent contractors in California.  Over in New Jersey, state officials are alleging that Amazon also has an issue with improper classification of employees, claiming Amazon has delivery drivers classified as independent contractors that should be receiving normal wages and benefits as employees.   

In November 2025, the NCAA agreed to settle a class action regarding more than 7,000 volunteer college coaches alleging wage fixing for $303 million.  Also in November, the nations largest coffee chain announced a $39M New York city labor settlement for allegations of local rules between 2021 and 2024. The D.C. Attorney General also announced $725,000 for a construction company allegedly failing to pay “prevailing wages”. Beyond misclassification, California has also recently worked to generate settlements for workers for a broad variety of issues:  No-poach agreements where companies collude to not hire each other workers and suppress wages and salaries, worker loan repayments, and additional misclassification by employers.   

In December 2025, The New York Attorney General settles allegations of underpayment to home health aides under the New York Wage Parity Law, resulting in $45 million to home health aid workers in the state, and the D.C. Attorney General announces a $1.5 settlement with a construction company regarding allegations their subcontractors misclassified hundreds of workers. 

As of January 1st 2026, Nineteen states will welcome new minimum wages for (most) workers.  While the federal minimum wage remains at $7.25 per hour, the majority of workers in the United States fall under additional minimum wages supplied by their state, county or city. These are the new minimum wages that go into effect January 1st, 2026:   

Lawmakers in two of the largest states both passed laws curbing the use of algorithms to set prices. In California, AB325 limits the use of algorithmic price setting across all products and goes into effect in 2026.  In New York, the algorithms being targeted are those specifically used to set prices for rent, after consumer distrust and antitrust lawsuits regarding rental price setting by algorithms.

“Made in USA” is not just a marketing claim, it is a claim of origin with strong legal protections against misuse. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces a strict national standard, U.S. Customs has its own country-of-origin rules for imports, and several industries (textiles, wool, fur, and meat/poultry/eggs) have sector-specific mandates. Missteps can trigger civil penalties, injunctions, and class actions lawsuits. 

On April 17, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in Cunningham v. Cornell University, that eased plaintiffs ability to bring cases for 401k and retirement account excessive fees. Previously the Second Circuit held that plaintiffs bringing claims under ERISA § 406(a) had to plead that exemptions did not apply, an additional early burden to proceed with a claim. The Supreme Court reversed that requirement, ruling that plaintiffs are only required to plead elements of a prohibited transaction (example: a plan engaged in a service transaction with a party in interest at excessive cost). 

Schneider Wallace Cottrell Kim is proud to announce that Todd Schneider, a founding partner of the firm, has been inducted into the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a distinguished national association of trial lawyers and judges committed to protecting the constitutional right to trial by jury. Founded in 1958, ABOTA is dedicated to elevating the standards of legal advocacy and promoting civility and professionalism within the trial bar.

Raw oysters are prized as a delicacy, but they also carry serious risks if mishandled. Because oysters filter large volumes of water, they can accumulate harmful bacteria and viruses such as Vibrio, Pseudomonas, and norovirus. To reduce those dangers, strict federal and state rules including harvest tags, refrigeration requirements, and use-by limits govern every step from harvest to restaurant plate. These safeguards are not just red tape. They are critical public-health protections that, when ignored, can lead to devastating illnesses, amputations, or even death.