Welcome to Issue #6 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.

If You Use Staffing Agencies or Contractors, the Joint-Employer Rules Just Changed

The National Labor Relations Board has returned to a narrower joint-employer standard, and if your business relies on staffing agencies, contractors, or vendor relationships, this affects you.

Under the updated rule, two businesses are joint employers only if both exercise direct and immediate control over essential employment terms — hiring, firing, wages, and supervision. The previous broader standard had created more shared liability, meaning you could be held responsible for a staffing agency's labor violations even without direct involvement.

The practical takeaway: if a staffing agency supplies your workers but you're not controlling their day-to-day work, your joint-employer exposure is reduced. But if you're supervising those workers directly, setting their schedules, or managing their pay, liability can still apply.

Action step: Review your staffing and contractor agreements. The less direct control you exercise over their workers, the cleaner your position under the new standard.

1. Three New State Laws Hit This Month

Illinois added unpaid NICU leave starting June 1. Oregon added new protections around employee immigration document handling, effective June 5. Washington banned mandatory microchipping as a condition of employment, effective June 11. If you have employees in any of these states, confirm your policies are current.

2. OSHA Is Actively Enforcing Whistleblower Protections

OSHA recently ordered an employer to pay over $315,000 after it terminated a worker who reported a workplace injury. Employees have a federally protected right to report safety concerns without retaliation — no discipline, no termination, no schedule changes. Brief your managers on this now.

3. Heat Safety Is a Compliance Issue This Summer

OSHA has updated its National Emphasis Program to target heat illness. If any employees work outdoors or in hot environments, make sure rest breaks, water, and cooling areas are in place — and document your practices.

✅ Review staffing and contractor agreements — confirm how much direct control you exercise over those workers

✅ Check your handbook for language that could restrict workers from discussing wages or working conditions

✅ If you have employees in Illinois, Oregon, or Washington, update policies for the June state law changes

✅ Brief managers on OSHA whistleblower rules — no retaliation for reporting injuries, ever

The NLRB's website has a plain-language overview of the updated joint-employer standard — useful if you use staffing agencies or contractors: nlrb.gov

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.