The FP 5: Five Things for Your 9-to-5

Your most valuable business information can walk out the door with a single forwarded email. This week on the FP 5, Michael Elkon, co-chair of Fisher Phillips’ Employee Defection and Trade Secrets Practice Group, explains what counts as a trade secret, how to protect it, and what to do when it goes missing.Show NotesMassachusetts High Court Makes It Harder to Win Injunctions in Trade Secret Cases: 4 Takeaways for Employers Former College Football Staffer Arrested for Leaking Recruiting Info to Rivals: 5 Trade Secret Lessons for Sports Employers Google Engineer Who Stole AI Trade Secrets Gets Guilty Verdict: Lessons for Your Business 6 Steps Tech Employers Can Take to Strengthen Trade Secret Protections in 2026 Protecting Trade Secrets in the Life Sciences Industry: 8 Steps to Prevent Corporate Espionage and Theft Foul on the Play: 6 Takeaways for Employers as NY Knicks Sue Toronto Raptors for Trade Secret Misappropriation 4 Steps to Avoid "Bet-the-Company" Trade Secret Litigation DOJ: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Three for Conspiracy to Steal and Sell Coca-Cola Trade Secrets (2006) WEAR/AP: Ex-Google exec sent to prison for stealing robocar secrets (2020) TechCrunch: Levandowski among last-minute Trump pardons (2021) Front Office Sports: Knicks, Raptors agree to drop suit (2025) 

The votes are in, but what comes next for employers? Recorded the day after the 2026 midterms, Lisa Nagele-Piazza, Rebecca Rainey, and David R. Dorey react to the results, separate political headlines from workplace realities, and discuss what businesses should watch next. Show Notes5 US Senate Races to Watch This Midterm Election CycleWhat a US House Flip Would (and Wouldn’t) Mean for Employers: 6 Races to Watch The Critical Governor and Statewide Races That Will Shape Workplace Policy This Election Day 5 Things Employers Should Watch as the 2026 Midterms ApproachEmployer Political Activity During the 2026 Midterms: Key FAQs Employer Cheat Sheet for 2026 Midterm Election Season It’s a Quiet Year for Workplace Ballot Measures: Here’s What Employers Should Still Watch in 2026 The Rise of Democratic Socialism: What Employers Need to Know Heading into Election Season and Beyond

From medical emergencies and opioid overdoses to workplace violence and natural disasters, is your organization prepared? Fisher Phillips attorney Karl Kumli joins us this week on the FP 5 to discuss five workplace emergencies and practical steps employers can take to protect their teams.Show NotesPreparing For the Worst: 5 Workplace Emergencies Employers Should Plan ForNew OSHA Opioid Overdose Response Guidance Urges Training, Use of Reversal Medications: What Your Business Needs To KnowOSHA FactSheet: Opioid Overdose Rescue with Reversal MedicationsWhy Every Employer Needs an Environmental Safety Plan + Where to StartThe FP5: Addressing Violence in the Workplace

Union approval is at a decades-high level, even as membership and organizing activity remain low. This week Todd Lyon joins the FP 5 to explain the disconnect, how unions are changing their organizing strategies, and what employers can do to strengthen employee relations.Show NotesUnions Reach Decades-High Approval Rating: 6 Steps for Employers in Current Labor Environment Union Organizing Activity Map The FP5: The Bill That Would Rewrite Labor Relations 

Choosing where to expand can shape your business for years. This week on the FP 5, Ray Perez shares five things companies should consider when selecting a US location, from workforce and infrastructure to workplace laws, incentives, and long-term growth.  Show NotesSite Selection Checklist for Companies Expanding Operations or Entering the USSite Selection Tips for International Companies Heading to the US: 8 Steps for Choosing the Right Location

California just enacted a new wave of workplace laws covering AI-driven employment decisions, layoffs, employee monitoring, and more. Ben Ebbink joins us this week on the FP 5 to review what changed and discuss what employers should be preparing for. Show NotesCalifornia’s New Workplace Laws Put AI and Employee Monitoring in the Spotlight: Your Full Guide to 11 Bills Just Signed (and 1 Vetoed) California Just Banned Employers From Letting AI Fire Workers on Its Own: Your 5-Step Compliance PlanCalifornia Employers Will Soon Need to Say When AI Causes a Mass Layoff: 5 Steps to PrepareCalifornia Bans AI Tools That Read Employees’ Emotions or Nervous System Data: FAQs for EmployersCalifornia Curbs Website Tracking Lawsuits: Action Plan for Businesses With Pending ClaimsCalifornia Employees Can Ditch Tracking Tools When Using Workplace Bathrooms: Top 10 Things Employers Need to Know About New Surveillance LawCalifornia Raises Pay Data Reporting Penalties Fivefold: 5 Things You Should DoCalifornia’s New Agricultural Minimum Wage Will Near $20 Per Hour in 2027: Key Takeaways for Ag EmployersCalifornia Expands Bereavement Leave to Cover Extended and Chosen Family: 3 Key Changes for EmployersNew California Law Adds Anti-Hate Speech Training Requirement for Employers: What to Know + 4 Steps to Take NowNew California Law Expands Cal/OSHA Enforcement Power, Raises Stakes for Workplace Safety Violations: Top Employer Takeaways

The 2026 midterms could shift the balance of power in Washington and reshape workplace policy across the states. This week, the FP 5 gang shares five things employers, HR managers, and legal teams should watch on Election Day.Show Notes5 Ways the 2026 Midterms Will Impact the Senate HELP Committee and Employers Across the CountryThe Rise of Democratic Socialism: What Employers Need to Know Heading into Election Season and Beyond

What happens when an OSHA or EPA inspector shows up at your door? Jamie Spataro joins us this week on the FP 5 to explain how employers can prepare for an inspection, what to do when an inspector arrives, and the practical steps to take during and after the visit.Show NotesSafety Inspectors Are Here: Does Your Business Know How to Respond to an EPA or OSHA Audit?

Religious accommodation requests are in the spotlight, and the legal standard for denying them has gotten tougher. This week on the FP 5, Andria Ryan explains when employers can say no, what counts as an undue hardship, and how HR teams can build a better process for evaluating requests.Show NotesWhen Can You Deny a Religious Accommodation? 6 Practical Steps for Employers as Guidance EvolvesReligious Accommodation Requests For Weekends Off Are Surging: Practical Strategies For Retail Employers

A new Supreme Court ruling could change how businesses approach the presence of firearms on their property. Travis Vance joins us this week to explain the recent Supreme Court decision on concealed carry rules and the practical steps employers should consider taking when it comes to allowing or prohibiting firearms in the workplace. Show Notes Guns In Your Business: Practical Steps for Employers and Businesses Following SCOTUS’ Ruling Barring Concealed Carry Limits