H-1B Registration Process Updates

The H-1B registration process for FY 2026 is open from March 7 until 12 p.m. ET on March 24. The annual cap remains at 85,000 with 20,000 reserved for U.S. master’s degree holders. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will continue last year’s beneficiary-focused selection process to prevent multiple registrations for the same individual by different employers. Employers must create an organizational account to register each beneficiary electronically. Registration fees increased from $10 to $215 per registration. Selection notifications will be sent to user accounts by the end of March 2025. USCIS also made some improvements to the registration process. Paralegals can now work with multiple attorneys under a single account, and legal representatives can now easily add paralegals to company client accounts. Certain fields on Form I-129 now pre-populate using data from select H-1B registrations. Lastly, employers and legal representatives can prepare a spreadsheet of H-1B beneficiary data and upload the information to pre-populate Form I-129.

 

Arkansas: Ban on Physician Noncompete Agreements

On March 4, 2025, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed SB 139 which amends the state’s noncompete law to prohibit non-compete covenants that “restrict the right of a physician to practice within the physician’s scope of practice.” The term “physician” includes any person authorized or licensed to practice medicine under the Arkansas Medical Practice Act and any person licensed to practice osteopathy under Arkansas law. The Act will take effect 90 days after adjournment of the current legislative session, likely resulting in a mid-July 2025 effective date.

 

San Francisco, CA: 2024 Employer Reporting Starting in April!

Employers covered by the San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance and/or the Fair Chance Ordinance must submit the 2024 Employer Annual Reporting Form no later than May 2, 2025, or be subject to a penalty of $500 per quarter. The Employer Annual Reporting Form will be available on April 1, 2025. Review the San Francisco Office of Labor Standards Enforcement website for more information.

 

Iowa: Child Labor Penalties Reduced

Starting February 12, 2025, a rule change in Iowa will reduce penalties for businesses that violate child labor laws regarding working hours and conditions. The fine for each violation, such as allowing children to work too long or during prohibited hours, is now $2,500, down from the previous $10,000. While the maximum fine remains $10,000, penalties accumulate for each violation, increasing the total fine based on the number of infractions. Businesses with fewer than 25 employees also receive a 35% reduction in any penalties, up from the previous 25% reduction.

 

Maryland: Proposed Extension for Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program

The Maryland Department of Labor (MDOL) has proposed delaying the May 2025 start of the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI). Under the proposal, payroll deductions would begin January 1, 2027, and benefits would become available January 1, 2028. MDOL cites the instability and uncertainty around changes at the federal level for Maryland federal contractors and those who receive federal funding for the need to delay FAMLI implementation. MDOL estimates approximately 225,000 civilian jobs are directly impacted by federal contracts and funding and implementing FAMLI in May would add to additional financial uncertainly for employers and employees. The proposed delay requires legislative approval, so employers should continue to monitor MDOL’s website for updates.

 

New York: Amendments to the Retail Worker Safety Act

New amendments to New York’s Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA), introduce several key changes that affect employer compliance obligations. Retail employers will now have until June 2, 2025, to implement a written workplace violence prevention policy and conduct violence prevention training, a delay from the previous March 3 deadline. The law also replaces the panic button requirement with “silent response buttons” for larger retailers (those with 500 or more employees statewide), which alert internal staff rather than law enforcement. Employers with fewer than 50 employees will be relieved from annual training requirements, needing to conduct violence prevention training only upon hire and once every two years thereafter. Additionally, the amendments will require the New York Department of Labor (NY DOL) to issue workplace violence prevention policy templates in both English and the 12 most common non-English languages spoken in New York. Employers should begin preparing for compliance by assessing workplace risks, developing violence prevention plans, and ensuring proper training protocols are in place, with larger retailers needing to evaluate the necessity for silent response buttons.

 

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Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser. © 2025 ManagEase