I was on vacation last week, and so we have a lot of catching up to do. Here's what's been going on, from most to least recent:

*David Phippen has been keeping us up to date on the U.S. Department of Labor's Persuader Rule and what that will mean for employers. On Wednesday, a federal judge in Minnesota refused to preliminarily block enforcement of the rule. There are two other challenges pending -- in federal courts in Arkansas and Texas -- but if someone doesn't block the rule, it will take effect next Friday, July 1. For background on the rule, see David's article from last week.

*Amy Beth Dambeck of our Princeton Office has an excellent analysis of the New Jersey Supreme Court's decision in Rodriguez v. Raymours Furniture, holding that an employer can't contractually shorten the statute of limitations for claims brought under the state Law Against Discrimination.

*Cara Crotty, head of our Affirmative Action Practice Group, has everything you need to know about the new sex discrimination rule issued last week by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. The updated rule contains provisions regarding pregnancy and transgender discrimination, similar to the guidance that has already been issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

*Last, but never least, be sure to visit FOCUS, our women's leadership blog, for Heather Owen's tribute to Miss USA winner Deshauna Barber, the first winner of the pageant who is an active member of the U.S. military.

Image Credits: Photo of beach at Nags Head, North Carolina, by me, last week. Woman praying in hammock from flickr, Creative Commons license, by Cristian Bortes.