Catherwood LibraryILR School

With the National Labor Relations Board still unable to act due to a lack of quorum, several states are stepping in with new labor laws. Rhode Island has barred employers from requiring workers to attend “captive audience” meetings, while Oregon and Washington will soon allow striking employees to collect unemployment benefits. New York lawmakers are moving to expand the state’s authority over private-sector labor disputes, though critics argue such measures conflict with federal jurisdiction. These state-level initiatives highlight growing tensions over how far states can go while federal oversight remains stalled.