January 23, 2026 Case File When a Florida bus driver made misrepresentations about an injury she experienced in 2021, she lost out on worker's compensation benefits for it. But when she experienced another injury in 2022, for which the 2021 accident was the major contributing cause, was she left without a compensable injury? Simply Research subscribers have access to the full text of the decision. Case Pinellas County Transit Authority v. Jackson, No. 1D2024-1522 (Fla. Di

January 21, 2026 A new federal law enacted last year provides a tax benefit to employees who receive overtime pay – but calling it a “No Tax on Overtime” law is a bit of misnomer. For starters, OT pay remains taxable and subject to withholding rules. And while a new income tax deduction may be available to some employees who work overtime, only a limited portion of federally required overtime compensation is tax deductible. We’ll clear up some of the biggest misconceptions

January 16, 2026 A bill that would require all businesses, no matter how many people they employ, to use E-Verify, passed the Florida House on Jan. 15. The Florida House passed a bill to require all businesses, regardless of size, to use the E-Verify system. This bill would remove the current law's requirement that only businesses with 25 or more employees must use E-Verify. Supporters argue the measure creates fair competition, while opponents say the system is unreliable an

OSHA gives more time to comply with HazCom changes Washington — OSHA is extending the compliance dates for its revised Hazard Communication Standard ( 1910.1200 ) published in May 2024 . Chemical manufacturers, importers and distributors originally had to comply with the new rules by Jan. 19, 2026, and July 19, 2027, depending on whether they’re evaluating substances or mixtures, respectively. Those dates are now May 19, 2026, and Nov. 19, 2027. Employers using products

January 15, 2026 Washington — Nearly 95% of respirator components purchased from two online marketplaces have proved to be fraudulent, according to the results of a recent case study conducted by NIOSH. Working with the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory, NIOSH researchers purchased 372 respirator components (240 P100 filters, 124 combination cartridges and eight chemical cartridges) and performance tested them. Every combination cartridge and chemical car

January 15, 2026 As the new year gets underway, one workplace risk is already clear: the current flu season is shaping up to be one of the more intense in recent years. Public health data shows high and rising flu activity across much of the country, which increases pressure on employers to manage absenteeism, protect employee health, keep operations running, and consider the question of vaccinations (among other things). This Insight outlines what’s different about this flu

January 15, 2026 The chamber has passed an E-Verify bill for the second year in a row. For the second year in a row, the Florida House has greenlit a measure requiring all businesses to use a federal verification tool to determine whether new hires can legally work in the country. HB 197 , sponsored by Rep. Berny Jacques, would mandate that all employers use the online database called E-Verify. This expands a 2023 law championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, which demanded E-Verify f

January 14, 2026 Employers generally view workplace safety enforcement as a civil problem, with criminal prosecution seen as a rare exception reserved only for the most egregious conduct. In practice, that assumption is becoming increasingly misplaced. Although criminal safety prosecutions remain relatively uncommon, precedent shows that they tend to arise from predictable fact patterns. This article examines two such scenarios in which employers and their supervisory perso

January 13, 2026 Washington — Employers can help prevent cases of welder’s anthrax – an often-fatal respiratory illness – by using safe work practices that limit exposure to “harmful metal fumes that might predispose welders” to the condition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Welder’s anthrax is caused by infection with anthrax toxin-producing Bacillus cereus group bacteria. In the January issue of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report , the a

January 9, 2026 The legal landscape for workplace drug testing is likely to see some significant changes in 2026. This article summarizes the shifts in federal and state policy, continuing and emerging challenges for employers, and what employers can do to be prepared in 2026. Quick Hits President Donald Trump has instructed the U.S. Department of Justice to reclassify marijuana, which could happen in 2026. In recent years, a growing number of states have legalized medical an