This memorandum highlights what we believe were the most significant legal developments and trends from 2016 affecting employers and the employment relationship. In 2016, the SEC and the NLRB continued their focus on workplace policies and whether those policies, in their view, inhibit whistleblower protections. The question of whether employers may require employees to agree to class action arbitration waivers also came to a head, with the Supreme Court accepting for argument in its 2017 Term three petitions on the question. We expect continued focus on these areas in 2017, as well as increased lawmaking at state and local levels in light of the Trump Administration’s stated priorities and proposed budget cuts at the federal level.