Welcome to Issue #13 of The Compliance Brief. Every Tuesday I break down the HR and labor law updates that actually matter to small businesses — in plain English, no legal jargon.

A Las Vegas Restaurant Just Paid $2 Million to Settle a Harassment Case — Here's What It Actually Costs

The EEOC approved a $2 million settlement against Bouchon Las Vegas for sexual harassment and retaliation. But the dollar figure isn't the most important part for small employers.

Along with the money, the settlement requires an outside monitor, mandatory manager retraining, upgraded complaint procedures, and four years of oversight. A Missouri restaurant settled a similar case the same month and faced identical non-monetary requirements.

This is what harassment settlements actually look like — not just a check, but years of external oversight, forced policy changes, and operational disruption. The cases share a common thread: complaints that weren't acted on quickly, and supervisors who weren't trained to handle them.

Action step: Make sure every manager knows the two non-negotiables — take every complaint seriously and document every step. Acting quickly and consistently is your best defense.

1. The DOL Expanded Its Self-Audit Program to Cover FMLA

The DOL launched new FMLA employer toolkits and a video series in January 2026, and also expanded its PAID program to cover certain FMLA violations. That means employers who self-identify an FMLA mistake can now resolve it voluntarily before it becomes a formal complaint — a meaningful option for small businesses managing leave without a full HR team.

2. Employee Monitoring Notices Are Required in Several States

Maine, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, and Colorado all require written notice before electronically monitoring employees. Connecticut expands its rules further on October 1, 2026, and Maine now requires annual re-notice plus disclosure at the hiring stage. If you monitor email, computers, or phone calls and haven't given written notice, you may already be out of compliance.

3. The DOL Clarified Two Tricky FMLA Situations

New DOL opinion letters addressed two common small employer mistakes: how to calculate leave when a business closes for part of a week, and whether travel time to medical appointments is FMLA-protected. Worth reviewing before your next leave request comes in.

✅ Brief managers on harassment complaint procedures — document every step, respond quickly, never retaliate

✅ Check the DOL's new FMLA toolkit if leave administration has been a pain point

✅ If you monitor employees electronically in ME, CT, DE, NY, or CO — confirm written notice is current

✅ Review the new DOL FMLA opinion letters if part-week closures or medical travel time apply to your workforce

The DOL's updated FMLA Employer Toolkit covers notice, certification, leave calculation, and common mistakes: dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla

That's it for this week. Short, actionable, no fluff.

If this was useful, forward it to another small business owner who could use it.

See you next Tuesday.

The Compliance Brief thecompliancebriefhq.com

This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.