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Policy Week in Review – October 24, 2025
At a Glance
The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI’s updates on federal, state, and local matters.
Federal Government Shutdown Continues
The federal government shutdown continues with no end in sight. Both Republicans and Democrats are dug in their positions, i.e., Senate Republicans continue efforts to advance the House-passed clean continuing resolution (a stopgap measure allowing additional time to clear individual spending bills) that would reopen and fund the government through November 21, and Democrats want to negotiate the inclusion of the expiring Affordable Care Act healthcare subsidies as part of a deal to reopen the government. Neither side is gaining traction. The House remains out of session. Senate Republicans met with President Trump at the White House for lunch on Tuesday as a show of unity. On Wednesday, the Senate voted down the continuing resolution for the 12th time, with a final vote of 54-46, falling short of the 60-vote threshold. Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and Independent Senator Angus King (I-ME) voted with Senate Republicans to advance the bill. Given the impasse and the fast-approaching November 21 deadline, Republican leaders are now saying the bill may need to be extended.
Senate HELP Committee Holds Second Hearing on Labor Law Reform
On October 22, 2025, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held its second hearing on federal labor law reform, titled “New Solutions for Finding a Pro-Worker Way Forward.” In his opening remarks, Chair Cassidy stated, “It’s been nearly 100 years since the core of our nation’s labor laws were passed. Since then, the economy and the way we work has changed. Congress needs to update labor laws for businesses, unions and workers to make our nation competitive in a 21st century economy.” Chair Cassidy spoke about the “whipsaw” effect of policy oscillation with the changing of administrations and emphasized the need to “build consensus on lasting changes that benefit all Americans.” Hearing witness Thomas Beck testified on the importance of protecting the secret ballot, highlighting how it “protects employees against coercion or retaliation from any direction” and its merits of facilitating a more informed choice as to whether to join a union. Mr. Beck also addressed the need to end the tactic of blocking charges, which are unfair labor practice charges filed by unions seeking to delay or stop an election, including a decertification election, when they perceive an undesirable outcome, as well as the need to reconcile Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to ensure American workers have full protections against a racially or sexually hostile workplace.
Read witness testimony and watch a recording of the hearing.
USCIS Issues Updated Guidance on New $100,000 H-1B Fee
On October 20, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an alert with updated guidance on the applicability of the new $100,000 H-1B fee implemented under the recent presidential proclamation restricting entry of certain H-1B visa holders. Read Littler’s analysis.
