Employers entered the third quarter of 2025 facing a familiar challenge: keeping up with accelerating legal change. This quarter delivered not only new legal requirements, but also deeper operational risks. From tightened fair chance protections in Philadelphia and Washington to expanded salary disclosure mandates in Massachusetts and Cleveland, employers were forced to reexamine how they evaluate candidates, structure compensation, and manage workplace risk.
At the same time, state lawmakers doubled down on regulating AI in employment, clarified cannabis testing restrictions, and added new layers to I-9 and E-Verify procedures. What was once a series of policy updates has become a coordinated shift in how compliance must be integrated into hiring workflows.
Below is your Q3 2025 Compliance Playbook. Each development may require operational changes in the way employers hire, vet, and retain talent.
Beginning January 6, 2026, Philadelphia employers must implement new lookback periods and procedural protections when using criminal history in hiring. Misdemeanor convictions are limited to a four-year lookback window, and summary offenses are excluded altogether. Expunged and sealed records must not be considered even if reported.
The amended ordinance also requires employers to issue a written notice before taking any adverse action based on a criminal record. That notice...
[OSEN=Jang Woo-young Reporter] Amid repeated denials from actor Park Si-hoo’s side regarding allegations of facilitating an affair, a close associate also emphasized that the claims are “baseless”...