Employment Data vs. Privacy Laws: Navigating Compliance in the Age of Emerging Technologies

On July 29, 2026, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals issued its long-awaited decision in Abbotsford Education Association v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, reversing the Dane County Circuit Court’s 2024 ruling that had declared significant portions of Act 10 unconstitutional.[1] In doing so, the court has preserved the status quo that Wisconsin public employers, including municipalities, technical colleges, school districts, and other governmental entities, have operated under for more than a decade.

There are moments when a milestone stops feeling like just a number and starts feeling like something bigger — legacy, purpose, impact. That’s exactly what unfolded this spring in Chicago, where the ABA Forum on Construction Law marked its 50th anniversary in front of a record crowd. 

Last month, a new client came to me with a vendor dispute. Straightforward matter. We talked through it for about twenty minutes, and then I…