With the 2022 midterm elections finally over, employment law is poised to undergo some changes in 2023. Thanks to the narrowly divided Congress, these changes are much more likely to take place on the state and local levels than on the national level (but the U.S. Department of Labor and National Labor Relations Board are still likely to rattle some human resources cages this year). Here are four employment law changes that employers should be aware of during the coming year. 

As a return to in-person work faces continued scrutiny, workers’ relationships to the corporate office and the future of work have never been more uncertain. Many employees who have spent the past two years working remotely are reluctant to return to the office on a full-time basis, even as their employers offer in-person benefits. Instead, many employees hope to find a middle ground in which both salaried workers and hourly workers can retain the flexibility that virtual work affords without risking the cohesion of the company as a whole. 

During the hiring frenzy over the past few years, many companies came to recognize the importance of effective onboarding to employee engagement and retention. During the so-called war for talent, it was critical to make new hires feel special and to assimilate them quickly into the company or risk having them accept other offers. Although fewer job openings today might shift leverage back to the employer, effective onboarding is still extremely important—particularly when internal talent moves are involved.