Articles and Blogs

On July 10, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan (“District Court”) in Right to Life of Michigan v. Nessel pressed pause on reaching the constitutional question at issue: whether Michigan’s expansion of sex-based discrimination to include the termination of pregnancy violates Plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights. Instead, the District Court... READ MORE

Last year, Hall Render introduced you to the APRN Modernization Act (“the Act”) after Wisconsin passed it into law in early August 2025. The Act, which takes effect on September 1, 2026, modifies licensure requirements so that qualified advanced practice nurses may practice without a collaborative arrangement with a physician or dentist. As September... READ MORE

On May 21, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) released a policy memo limiting the issuance of green cards based on adjustment of status to applicants demonstrating the need for extraordinary relief. The policy memo states that adjustment of status should be a discretionary measure, not an expected benefit. Absent extraordinary circumstances, applicants... READ MORE

Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) is rapidly reshaping the way workplaces function, especially in health care. While AI offers meaningful opportunities to streamline employer processes and increase efficiency, its adoption is outpacing the development of legal standards and governance structures. Moreover, a patchwork of state and local laws that seemingly conflict with current federal policy further... READ MORE

On May 21, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) issued a policy memo titled Adjustment of Status is a Matter of Discretion and Administrative Grace, and an Extraordinary Relief that Permits Applicants to Dispense with the Ordinary Consular Visa Process (the “Policy Memo”). According to the Policy Memo, adjustment of status to Lawful... READ MORE

On March 26, 2026, the Eighth Circuit, in Ghosh v. Abbott Lab’ys, Inc., 170 F.4th 1141 (8th Cir. 2026), affirmed the dismissal of whistleblower claims brought by a remote employee whose connections to Minnesota, where the employer was located, consisted of a 12-day visit to the state to participate in mandatory training. Case Background... READ MORE

The U.S. Department of Labor issued a Proposed Rule that would significantly change prevailing wage calculations for foreign workers under the permanent labor certification, H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 visa programs. At the center of the proposal is an increase in the prevailing wage levels based more heavily on statistically derived wage percentiles from the... READ MORE

On February 23, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine (the “Court”) held that a former physician could not compel production of a nonparty minor patient’s medical records in support of her discrimination and whistleblower retaliation claims. Yered v. Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems and Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, Case... READ MORE

The Tenth Circuit recently issued two companion decisions confirming the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (“OSHA”) authority to cite employers for workplace violence hazards under the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. § 654(a)(1) (“General Duty Clause”). In both cases, the Tenth Circuit upheld OSHA’s enforcement actions and the... READ MORE

The fiscal year (“FY”) 2027 H-1B cap season will be the first to operate under a weighted selection system that replaces the prior fully random lottery. Employers should understand how this new process affects both the regular (bachelor’s) cap and the advanced degree (master’s) cap, as it changes selection mechanics but not the overall... READ MORE