What changed • Who it affects • Why it matters
Three federal fixes before Friday lunch—then back to work.
Memorial Day Observance
Today, Monday, May 25, 2026, the United States observes Memorial Day, a federal holiday held on the last Monday in May. It is the nation’s annual day to mourn and honor the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who died in service to the country. Federal offices are closed today, and some banking, mail, shipping, and government services may be paused or operating on modified schedules. The National Cemetery Administration describes Memorial Day as the nation’s foremost annual day to honor deceased service men and women, and a national moment of remembrance is observed at 3:00 p.m. local time.
For North Dakota businesses, this is both a solemn national observance and a practical scheduling note. Employers may want to check delivery timelines, federal-agency response times, banking cutoffs, and employee holiday policies before assuming normal Monday operations.
1. Labor: Joint-employer rule could matter for staffing, franchises, vendors, and contractors
The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed a new federal standard for joint employer liability, which affects when more than one company may be responsible for wage, overtime, leave, or migrant-worker compliance. SBA’s Office of Advocacy says this could affect small businesses using staffing companies, franchisor-franchisee arrangements, vendor-supplier relationships, and contractor-subcontractor setups. Comments are due June 22, 2026.
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy — Department of Labor Proposes Rule on Joint Employer Liability
Why North Dakota businesses should care:
This is one to flag for businesses that share workers, use temp labor, subcontract regularly, run franchise models, or participate in shared training/apprenticeship arrangements. The practical question is: Who is responsible if a worker’s pay, overtime, leave, or employment rights are challenged?
Action:
Review vendor, subcontractor, franchise, staffing, and shared-worker agreements before the comment deadline.
2. Labor / Immigration: H-1B and PERM wage proposal comment deadline is tomorrow
DOL has proposed increasing wage levels for certain foreign-worker programs, including H-1B and PERM labor visas. SBA’s Office of Advocacy notes that comments are due May 26, 2026, and says DOL estimates the average wage cost per small entity at $20,000.
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy — DOL Proposes Rule to Increase Wage Levels for H-1B Visa / PERM Labor Visas
Why North Dakota businesses should care:
This may matter most for employers who use or may need skilled foreign labor, including tech, engineering, health-adjacent support roles, manufacturing, research, construction-related professional services, and harder-to-fill specialty positions.
Action:
Businesses using these programs should review the proposal immediately and consider whether to submit a short comment describing real wage, hiring, or workforce impacts.
3. Agriculture / Land: Grassland CRP signup closes Friday
USDA says the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program signup period runs from May 4 through May 29, 2026. The program allows producers and landowners to continue grazing and haying while conserving grasslands and improving soil and habitat conditions.
Source: Farmers.gov — Program Deadlines
Why North Dakota businesses should care:
This affects producers, landowners, ag lenders, equipment dealers, fencing contractors, seed suppliers, custom haying businesses, and rural communities that depend on land-use decisions. Even programs that sound “farm-only” can ripple into service, retail, finance, and equipment spending.
Action:
Interested producers should contact their local USDA Service Center before Friday.
4. Fuel / Freight: Diesel eased slightly, but remains a cost pressure
EIA’s latest gasoline and diesel update shows U.S. regular gasoline at $4.490 per gallon and Midwest gasoline at $4.399 as of May 18. U.S. on-highway diesel was $5.596, down 4.3 cents from the prior week.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration — Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update
Why North Dakota businesses should care:
Even with a small weekly drop, diesel remains a serious cost pressure for trucking, ag hauling, construction, delivery routes, field service companies, food distribution, contractors, and rural retailers. A tiny dip at the pump does not erase the broader freight-cost problem.
Action:
Check fuel surcharge language, delivery minimums, job bids, and quotes that assume older fuel prices.
5. Credit / Borrowing: Fed held rates steady; borrowing still requires caution
The Federal Reserve’s April meeting minutes show the target rate range was left unchanged, with the Board maintaining the interest rate paid on reserve balances at 3.65% and the primary credit rate at 3.75%. The next FOMC meeting is scheduled for June 16–17, 2026.
Source: Federal Reserve — Minutes of the Federal Open Market Committee, April 28–29, 2026
Why North Dakota businesses should care:
For small businesses, this means borrowing conditions are not loosening quickly. Expansion loans, equipment financing, lines of credit, vehicle purchases, and building improvements should still be priced carefully.
Action:
Before taking on new debt, ask lenders for total repayment cost, not just the monthly payment.
Risk / Opportunity
Risk: Labor-rule uncertainty, fuel costs, and borrowing costs all continue to make planning harder for small employers.
Opportunity: The joint-employer proposal may offer clearer federal standards if finalized, and USDA’s Grassland CRP signup gives some producers and landowners a near-term land-use option before Friday’s deadline.