The latest news relevant to you and your business
Support and Resources for You and Your Clients, Every Step of the Way
Open Enrollment is here, and we’re ready to help you navigate it with confidence. From renewal guides to employee communication tools, our Open Enrollment Resource Center has what you need to review your options, make informed decisions, and keep your team informed every step of the way. Start by exploring the Resource Center, where you’ll find:
- Renewal Portal User Guides with step-by-step instructions for reviewing rates, modeling contributions, and finalizing elections.
- How-To Videos that walk you through the process from start to finish.
- Plan Updates & Resources to help you understand changes and communicate effectively with your employees.
We understand that Open Enrollment is critical for your business and your employees. That’s why our team is committed to providing clear guidance, timely updates, and the tools you need to make informed decisions with confidence.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact your dedicated Benefits Specialist.
Don’t Miss This Upcoming Webinar Session:
Everything You Need for Open Enrollment
Explore Renewal updates, Benefits Renewal Portal tools, and available support resources.
Join the PrestigePEO Benefits Team for a live webinar covering everything you need for a confident renewal season — including OE timelines, a walkthrough of the Benefits Renewal Portal, carrier updates, and available support resources. Whether this is your first OE with PrestigePEO or your fifth, we’re here to make the process seamless. Choose what session works best for you!
Know Before You Owe
New DOL Guidance Clarifies When Commute and Travel Time Must be Paid
On July 22, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued two companion opinion letters (FLSA2026-9 and FLSA2026-10) clarifying when an employee’s commute, travel, and pre-shift activities count as compensable “hours worked” under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The letters are guidance rather than a new rule, but they give employers a clearer framework for a question that drives frequent wage claims.
The Core Test
The DOL applies a “primary beneficiary” analysis to the total circumstances: time spent predominantly for the employer’s benefit is compensable work, while time spent predominantly for the employee’s benefit is not. The letters formally recognize the “ordinary commute” as its own category of non-compensable time, even for hybrid employees who travel to the office mid-day under a split-shift or telework arrangement.
When Travel Is Compensable
Travel between worksites during the workday is generally compensable, as is any commute time during which the employee is actually performing work. Home-to-work travel can also become compensable when the employer dictates the travel and its timing in a way that imposes constraints mainly for the employer’s benefit.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Review how your timekeeping treats worksite-to-worksite travel, on-call trips, and pre-shift activities for non-exempt employees.
- Confirm that ordinary home-to-office commutes, including mid-day hybrid trips, are handled consistently with the new guidance.
- Train managers not to assign work during commutes unless that time is being paid.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please contact your HR Business Partner if you’d like help reviewing your travel-pay and timekeeping practices.
August 2026: Key Compliance Developments for Employers
As the regulatory landscape continues to shift, employers must remain proactive in evaluating workplace policies, operational practices, and compliance obligations. This month’s update provides a concise overview of important developments, emerging requirements, and enforcement activity that may influence how organizations manage risk and maintain compliance moving forward.
Colorado Bars Wage Deductions for Protective Equipment Under New Meatpacker Safety Law
Effective August 12, 2026, Colorado’s Personal Protective Equipment and Meatpackers Act (SB 26-160) prohibits employers from deducting the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) from employees’ wages and adds workplace protections for large meatpacking operations.
What the Law Requires
Under the Act, no employer may charge employees, through wage deductions, for PPE the employer requires them to use. The law amends Colorado’s wage statutes to ensure PPE costs are the employer’s responsibility and are not shifted to employees. In addition, employers with 500 or more employees engaged in the slaughter of livestock or in meat rendering or packaging must provide employees with reasonable access to restrooms. Failure to do so could result in financial penalties.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Audit payroll and uniform/equipment policies to ensure no PPE costs are passed to employees through deductions.
- If you operate a covered meatpacking facility in Colorado, review restroom-access practices against the new standard.
- Update onboarding and handbook language describing who pays for required equipment.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please contact your HR Business Partner with questions about Colorado’s PPE deduction rules.
Florida Bans Local Governments from Setting Their Own Wage and Benefit Mandates
Effective September 30, 2026, Florida’s local-law preemption bill (HB 433, amending § 218.077, Fla. Stat.) prohibits local governments from establishing their own minimum wage or using their contracting power to dictate the wages and benefits that private employers provide.
What Changes
Under the law, local governments may not maintain a minimum wage other than the state or federal minimum wage, may not use purchasing or contracting power to control the wages and employment benefits offered by parties they do business with, and may not award preferences to entities that offer more favorable wages and benefits. The effect is a more uniform statewide baseline for employers operating across multiple Florida jurisdictions.
What This Means for Employers
- Employers in Florida can rely on the state/federal minimum wage without tracking separate local wage floors.
- Government contractors should review bid and contract terms that previously turned on locally mandated wage or benefit levels.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please reach out to your HR Business Partner with questions about how this preemption may impact your Florida operations.
Supreme Court Expands Concealed-Carry Rights onto Private Property Open to the Public
The Supreme Court recently struck down state laws that broadly prohibit concealed-carry permit holders from bringing firearms onto private property open to the public. This decision may require employers and businesses nationwide to revisit their workplace weapons policies. Specifically, the June 25, 2026, ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Wolford v. Lopez invalidated state laws pertaining to the “no-carry default” rule that made it a crime for concealed-carry permit holders to bring firearms onto private property open to the public unless the owner had given advance, express permission. The ruling changes the default approach to these types of laws, indicating lawful permit holders may generally carry firearms on such property unless the owner clearly states otherwise. The ruling directly impacts the jurisdictions that have passed these types of laws, including Hawaii, California, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C., and will prohibit other states from passing similar laws in the future.
What the Decision Means
For businesses that invite the public onto their premises, the ruling underscores that the burden is on the property owner to communicate a no-firearms policy clearly, rather than relying on a state default prohibition. The decision addresses property access; it does not eliminate the patchwork of state laws that separately govern firearms in the workplace.
Impact on Employers
Many states have their own laws addressing whether employees may store firearms in personal vehicles in company parking lots, where firearms may be carried on company property, and related liability protections. Those laws continue to apply and vary widely, so a one-size-fits-all policy is risky for multi-state employers.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Review and, where appropriate, update workplace weapons policies and any “no firearms” signage for public-facing locations.
- Confirm your policy accounts for parking-lot and vehicle-storage laws in each state where you operate.
- Communicate any firearms restrictions clearly and conspicuously to employees and visitors.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Reach out to your HR Business Partner for questions related to your workplace weapons policy.
Alabama Law Voids Nondisclosure of Sexual Abuse in Employment Agreements
Effective October 1, 2026, Alabama’s Trey’s Law (SB 30) prohibits any agreement provision that prevents an individual from disclosing facts related to an act of sexual abuse.
What the Law Prohibits
Employers may not include a provision in any nondisclosure agreement, confidentiality agreement, employment agreement, settlement agreement, or any other agreement that bars disclosure of sexual abuse. The law reflects a growing, multi-state trend against contract terms that silence individuals regarding sexual misconduct.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Review NDA, confidentiality, employment, and settlement templates used in Alabama and remove any language restricting disclosure of sexual abuse.
- Coordinate with counsel on settlement agreements involving abuse allegations.
- Train HR and legal staff on the new limits before October 1.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please contact your HR Business Partner with any questions.
California Moves to Overhaul PAGA Notice, Cure, and Settlement Rules
On February 6, 2026, California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) issued proposed regulations to implement the 2024 reforms to the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Although the regulations are proposed and not yet final, they signal meaningful changes to how PAGA claims are filed, cured, and settled.
What Is Proposed
The draft rules would tighten how employees and their counsel submit PAGA notices to the LWDA, requiring a standardized form, greater factual specificity, and a signed certification that the claims have legal and evidentiary support. They would also formalize the pre-litigation cure process created for employers with fewer than 100 employees and give the LWDA a more active oversight role, including over PAGA settlement approvals.
Status
The written comment period closed March 23, 2026, and the LWDA held a public hearing on April 9, 2026. Final regulations remain pending, and their timing and content could change. Employers should watch for the final version rather than act on the draft as if it were settled law.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Continue tightening wage-and-hour compliance, which remains the best defense against PAGA exposure.
- If you have fewer than 100 California employees, understand how the proposed cure process could work for you.
- Monitor for the final regulations before changing intake or settlement strategy.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Your HR Business Partner can help you with any questions.
Connecticut's Expanded Pay Transparency Law Takes Effect This Fall
Effective October 1, 2026, Connecticut House Bill 5003 significantly expands the state’s pay-transparency obligations, requiring employers to disclose pay and benefit information in job postings and adding new duties for larger employers.
What Employers Must Do
Employers must disclose, in all internal and external job postings or before any compensation discussion with an applicant, the wage range for the position and a general description of benefits. Employers with 100 or more employees must create, post, and distribute a guide to the pay codes used for overtime and common pay differentials. The law also bars requiring employees or applicants to sign promissory notes to repay the employer if they leave early, requires reasonable break time to express breast milk in addition to scheduled breaks, and requires written or posted notice of employees’ rights to reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Update Connecticut job postings to add wage ranges and benefit descriptions before October 1.
- If you have 100+ employees, prepare and distribute the required pay-code guide.
- Review lactation-break and accommodation-notice practices for compliance.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Contact your HR Business Partner for assistance.
IRS Announces Mid-Year 2026 Mileage Reimbursement Rate Increase and Proposed Trump Account Regulations
Mid-Year 2026 Mileage Reimbursement Rate Increase
Effective July 1, 2026, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) updated the optional standard mileage citing the ongoing increase in fuel costs.
The revised rates are:
- Business use: 76 cents per mile.
- Medical and moving purposes: 23.5 cents per mile.
These rates apply to deductible transportation expenses paid or incurred for business, medical, or moving purposes on or after July 1, 2026, and to mileage allowances paid to employees for such expenses incurred on or after that date. Previous rates continue to apply for expenses incurred before July 1, 2026. Additionally, the charitable purposes rates remains 14 cents per mile, as set by statute.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Contact your HR Business Partner with any questions regarding the IRS’ new mileage rate.
IRS Proposed Regulations on Employer Contributions to Trump Accounts
On August 11, 2026, the U.S. Treasury Department and IRS announced proposed regulations providing guidance on employer-sponsored programs for contributions to Trump Accounts, outlining how employers and employees may fund Trump Accounts, a new tax-deferred investment option for children under the age of 18.
The proposed regulations provide details on an employers’ role in the Trump Account process, including how certain employer contributions to Trump Accounts may be excluded from employees’ gross income. Specifically, the Treasury’s guidance outlines that employers will be allowed to contribute up to $2,500 tax-free each year towards employees’ dependent’s Trump Accounts and gives employees the option to contribute pre-tax dollars to those same accounts.
The U.S. Department of Treasury published the following requirements for employers who wish to establish Trump Accounts.
To establish a Trump Account employer contribution program, the employer must:
- Maintain a separate written plan document;
- Follow certification procedures that permit employers to rely on employees’ self-certification of the Trump Account beneficiary’s age and dependent status, but require validation that the account into which the contribution will be made is a Trump Account;
- Provide notices to employees;
- Provide annual statements to employees; and
- Provide reporting to the Trump Account trustee.
The proposed regulations are subject to a public comment period as well as a hearing, currently scheduled for October, before the rules can be finalized. PrestigePEO is here to help and will continue to monitor this process for updates.
Louisiana Bans Non-Competes with Interns and Apprentices
Effective August 1, 2026, Louisiana House Bill 315 (Act No. 150) prohibits employers from entering into non-compete agreements with interns and apprentices, regardless of whether they are paid or unpaid.
What the Law Does
The law defines an “intern” as a student learner participating in an internship authorized and regulated by Louisiana’s work-based learning program regulations. It does not affect an employer’s ability to enter into or enforce confidentiality, data-protection, or intellectual-property agreements with these individuals. The change fits Louisiana’s long-standing public policy disfavoring restrictions on the right to work.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Remove non-compete provisions from intern and apprentice agreements and onboarding templates.
- Where appropriate, rely on confidentiality, IP-assignment, and data-protection agreements instead.
- Confirm any work-based learning arrangements are documented consistently with the new rule.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Contact your HR Business Partner with any questions.
Louisiana's “Behind the Counter Protection Act” Strengthens Protections for Retail and Food Service Workers
Effective August 1, 2026, Louisiana’s Behind the Counter Protection Act increases criminal penalties for threats and acts of violence against employees in retail, restaurant, convenience-store, gas-station, pharmacy, and similar customer-facing roles who interact with the public at points of transaction.
What the Law Does
The Act is primarily a criminal-penalty measure and imposes no direct obligations on employers. It does, however, authorize employers to post signage, in forty-eight point boldface font, stating “WARNING: Workplace violence against an employee is a crime and will not be tolerated. Such acts may result in arrest and criminal conviction under Louisiana law.”
Employers with covered, customer-facing employees should become familiar with the law and consider the optional posting as part of their workplace-safety approach.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Consider posting the authorized workplace-violence warning at customer-facing locations.
- Review workplace-violence prevention and incident-response procedures for front-line staff.
- Remind managers how to report threats and cooperate with law enforcement.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Your HR Business Partner with any questions about this new legislation.
Maine Broadens Employers' Drug-Testing Options to Include New Documentation Duties
Effective July 29, 2026, Maine’s Substance Use Testing Law underwent significant changes, expanding the circumstances in which employers may test while adding new employee-privacy safeguards.
What Changes
The law replaces the “probable cause” standard with a “reasonable suspicion” standard based on specific, observable signs of impairment and clarifies that testing generally cannot be based solely on anonymous reports, off-duty conduct, or a workplace accident without additional indicators of impairment. Additionally, the law strengthens worker protections by allowing employees and applicants to contest initial non-negative results with the confirming testing laboratory’s representative or a Medical Review Officer (MRO).
What Employers Should Do Now
- Update your Maine substance-use testing policy to reflect the new permitted testing categories.
- Adopt a written reasonable-suspicion documentation form and train supervisors to complete it before any test.
- Confirm any client or site required testing programs are properly structured under the revised law.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please contact your HR Business Partner with any questions.
Minnesota Finalizes Long-Awaited Earned Sick and Safe Time Rules
Effective July 6, 2026, new administrative rules from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) clarify how employers must apply the state’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law, resolving several questions employers have faced since the statute took effect. The state also issued FAQs About Earned Sick and Safe Time Rules to help understand the new rules.
Key Clarifications
Employers must let eligible employees who work at least 80 hours in a year earn at least one hour of ESST for every 30 hours worked. If an employer does not designate and clearly communicate their 12-month accrual year in the required ESST notice, the accrual year defaults to the calendar year. Employees who work more than half their hours accrue ESST for all hours worked. And when an exempt employee uses ESST for a full-day absence, the employer may not deduct more ESST than the hours the employee is credited with working that day. Documentation requirements must be clearly communicated, and employees must have reasonable time to provide the same.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Designate and communicate your ESST accrual year or accept the calendar-year default.
- Confirm any PTO or vacation policy either complies with ESST or clearly bars use of that leave for ESST purposes.
- Review notices and payroll settings for accrual, carryover, and exempt-employee deductions.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please contact your HR Business Partner to align your Minnesota leave policies with the new rules.
Missouri Extends USERRA-Style Reemployment Rights to National Guard Members
Effective August 28, 2026, Missouri House Bill 2593 requires employers to extend the same reemployment rights to members of the National Guard that federal law provides to service members under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
What the Law Requires
The bill aligns Missouri’s protections for National Guard members with the federal USERRA framework, meaning covered employees who leave work for qualifying Guard service are entitled to reemployment on the same terms USERRA guarantees. Employers should treat Guard-related absences and returns consistently with their existing USERRA compliance practices.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Confirm your military-leave policy covers Missouri National Guard service and mirrors USERRA reemployment rights.
- Train managers to handle Guard leave requests and returns without adverse action.
- Document leave, reinstatement, and any related benefits consistently.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please contact your HR Business Partner with questions about military-leave compliance in Missouri.
New York Healthcare Facilities Workplace Violence Prevention
Effective September 18, 2026, New York AB203 requires covered healthcare facilities, defined as general hospitals and nursing homes, to implement workplace violence prevention programs. These programs must include safety assessments, workplace violence standards, and, for general hospitals, emergency department security staffing requirements.
Key Requirements
- Emergency department staffing: Beginning September 18, 2026, general hospitals must provide continuous ED security staffing to help protect staff, patients, and visitors.
- Safety assessments and security plans: Beginning January 1, 2027, general hospitals must conduct annual safety assessments and develop tailored security plans.
- Prevention programs: General hospitals and nursing homes must implement comprehensive workplace violence prevention programs by September 18, 2027.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Evaluate emergency department staffing, training, and response procedures.
- Complete required safety assessments and implement and/or update security plans.
- Review and update workplace violence prevention policies.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please contact your HR Business Partner with questions about New York’s workplace violence prevention rules for healthcare facilities.
Philadelphia Adds Workplace Protections for Menstruation, Perimenopause, and Menopause
Beginning January 1, 2027, an amendment to the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance will prohibit discrimination and require reasonable accommodations for employees whose menstruation, perimenopause, or menopause symptoms substantially interfere with their ability to perform their job.
What It Requires
Upon request by an affected employee, covered employers must provide reasonable accommodation where symptoms substantially interfere with one or more of the employee’s job functions, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Plan to add menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause to accommodation and anti-discrimination policies for Philadelphia employees.
- Train managers to handle accommodation requests consistently and confidentially.
- Build these scenarios into your existing interactive-accommodation process before the 2027 effective date.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Reach out to your HR Business Partner to prepare your Philadelphia accommodation practices ahead of the effective date.
San Francisco Limits Use of Out-of-State Criminal Records in Hiring
Effective August 10, 2026, amendments to San Francisco’s Fair Chance Ordinance (Ordinance 128-26) prohibit employers from using certain out-of-state criminal convictions or arrests in employment-related decisions when the underlying conduct is lawful in California.
What Is Covered
San Francisco employers may not consider out-of-state convictions or arrests for conduct that is lawful in California, including abortion-related healthcare, drag performances, gender-affirming care, or spontaneous abortion. Employers face monetary fines for non-compliance. The change expands San Francisco’s existing “ban the box” framework, which limits how and when employers may consider criminal history.
What Employers Should Do Now
- Update background-check and hiring procedures to screen out records from the newly protected categories of out-of-state records.
- Confirm your screening vendor’s process reflects the amended ordinance.
- Train hiring managers in San Francisco on what criminal-history information they may and may not consider.
PrestigePEO is here to help. Please reach out to your HR Business Partner to review your San Francisco hiring and background-check practices.
Communication That Connects
Improving the Renewal Experience Through Better Communication
Even the best benefits package falls flat if employees don’t understand it. As renewal season approaches, clear, consistent communication is what turns confusion into confidence and helps employees actually use what you’re offering them.
Learn practical strategies for communicating benefits changes, engaging a multi-generational workforce, and making this year’s renewal experience easier for everyone involved.
Smarter Time Tracking, Simplified
Control Labor Costs with Automated Timekeeping
Kronos gives you accurate, automated time tracking from time clocks, web entry, mobile devices, and more, capturing labor data in real time and eliminating the guesswork of manual timekeeping.
With built-in pay rule enforcement and seamless integration into your PrestigePRO platform, it’s an easy way to control labor costs, minimize compliance risk, and keep payroll running smoothly.
Invest in Their Future, Today
Build a Stronger Team with a Smarter Retirement Plan
A 401(k) plan is more than a benefit; it’s a strategic tool for recruiting and retaining great talent.
Through our partnership with Slavic401k, you can offer employees traditional pre-tax and Roth deferral options, Safe Harbor contribution flexibility, and a wide range of investment choices, all backed by a dedicated plan administrator and full compliance support.
Know a Business That Could Use a Stronger HR and Benefits Partner?
Every business owner you know is juggling the same challenges: HR complexity, rising benefits costs, and not enough time to manage it all.
If you know a company that could benefit from expert support and a more strategic approach to its workforce, introduce them to PrestigePEO.
It’s simple: refer them, and if they become a client, you’ll earn up to $2,500 per qualified referral with no limit on how many times you can earn.
