To ensure and promote workplace safety, the Maine Department of Labor will offer once again free safety classes in the month of September. The courses will be held at the SafetyWorks Training Institution in Augusta, unless otherwise noted. According to SafetyWorks, the program trains approximately 8,000 individuals annually. The free courses, which are available Read more
Last January 1, Illinois’ Pregnancy Accommodation Act, also known as the “Pregnancy Fairness Act”, went into effect protecting pregnant workers from employment discrimination and requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees, and job applicants, for conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. New administrative rules implementing Read more
A court in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania has suggested that a decision by the state’s department of labor can be the “ultimate resolution” to a class action’s legal matter. In the class action, Siciliano v. Mueller, employees claimed that their employer violated the Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law by mandating to receive their payment of Read more
Maine has become the latest state to enact a bill prohibiting employers from accessing employees’ personal social media accounts. Under the new Act (Bill H 640), employers cannot require or coerce an employee or potential employee to disclose his or her password to any of his or her social media accounts. These accounts may include Read more
For the first time since 2012, British Columbia, Canada, will raise its general minimum wage rate from $10.25 per hour to $10.45 per hour effective September 15, 2015. The Liquor server minimum wage rate, currently $9.00 per hour, will also increase on September 15 to $9.20 per hour. The September minimum wage rates are included Read more
The North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights has released a new Minimum Wage and Work Conditions Summary posting. During North Dakota’s 2015 legislative session, several labor laws were passed, including two laws that caused major revisions on the Minimum Wage and Work Conditions Summary posting. The revised posting includes a new list of Read more
The White House is considering an Executive Order (“EO”) that would require federal contractors to provide paid sick leave to their employees. The tentative “Executive Order Establishing Paid Sick Leave For Contractors,” if issued, would mandate that federal contractors provide their employees up to 56 hours (the equivalent of 7 days) of paid sick leave Read more
Committed to making workplaces safe, North Dakota Workforce Safety and Insurance (WSI) and UL PureSafety have joined forces to provide employers and employees with free online safety training. UL PureSafety is an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)-authorized online outreach provider that will make it possible for North Dakota individuals to receive valuable information that Read more
The federal Office of Federal Contract Compliance Program (OFCCP) has released a new outreach and education poster, “Opening Doors to Opportunity for All Workers,” which highlights the obligation of employers to treat workers fairly and without discrimination, including paying workers fairly, and the OFCCP’s role in enforcing that agenda. The poster was developed from feedback Read more
On July 2, 2015, Rhode Island passed Bill H 5674, requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition. Accommodations may include: More frequent or longer breaks, Time off to recover from childbirth, Acquisition or modification of equipment for sitting, Temporary transfers to less strenuous Read more
