Employco Blog

Kansas Clarifies Enforceability of Nonsolicitation Agreements – On April 8, 2025, Kansas amended the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act (KRTA) to create a presumption of enforceability of certain nonsolicitation agreements and require courts to modify overbroad restrictive covenants. The amendment takes effect on July 1, 2025.

During periods of economic or business uncertainty, employers may need to downsize their workforce. Such reductions can take a variety of forms but frequently include employee layoffs or furloughs. Employers who take these measures must ensure that they are in compliance with laws governing compensation and employee benefits.

On May 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued Field Assistance Bulletin (FAB) 2025-1 on how to determine employee or independent contractor status when enforcing the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Background – On Jan. 10, 2024, the DOL published a final rule revising the agency’s guidance on analyzing who is an employee or independent contractor under the FLSA. This rule rescinded the 2021 Independent Contractor Rule. Several lawsuits are pending in federal courts challenging the 2024 final rule. In those lawsuits, the DOL has taken the position that it is reconsidering the final rule, including whether to rescind it. Additionally, the DOL’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) is currently developing a standard for determining employee versus independent contractor status under the FLSA.

There is currently no federal law that requires employers to disclose salary information to job applicants or employees. However, a growing number of states have enacted legislation that requires employers to disclose wage or other compensation information to applicants or employees under pay transparency laws. Colorado’s pay transparency law, which took effect in 2021, was the first such law. Since then, the District of Columbia and 14 additional states (including California, Illinois, and New York) have passed pay transparency laws.

At Employco, we continually release new employee-facing content in the form of newsletters and articles that our clients can use as they feel appropriate. Oftentimes, the information is geared towards health and wellness. The documents are produced in a way to make it easy for our clients to distribute to their employees. We also can add your company’s logo to the document prior to sending it to you.

Small businesses often face an uphill battle when it comes to retaining employees. Limited budgets, lean teams, and fewer advancement opportunities can make it difficult to compete with larger companies. However, better engagement is one of the most cost-effective and impactful ways to improve employee retention. When employees feel heard, valued, and connected to their work, they’re more likely to stay.