get_labels bugs, proactive fix

[CBroz1]

Description

This PR adds a partial fix of #1513 by changing the behavior moving forward.

A separate PR will provide a retroactive fix.

Checklist:

• N/a. If this PR should be accompanied by a release, I have updated the CITATION.cff
• N/a. If this PR edits table definitions, I have included an alter snippet for release notes.
• N/a. If this PR makes changes to position, I ran the relevant tests locally.
• If this PR makes user-facing changes, I have added/edited docs/notebooks to reflect the changes
• I have updated the CHANGELOG.md with PR number and description.