April 2016

The “Fight for 15” movement, which aims at raising the minimum wage rate to $15.00 per hour for low wage workers, continues to gain momentum across the country. This month, the District of Columbia joined the conversation with the introduction of new legislation that would increase the minimum wage in the District to $15.00 per Read more

Nebraska is the latest state to adopt a law that protects employees’ online privacy. Under the Workplace Privacy Act (bill 821), employers are prohibited from accessing an employee or applicant’s personal internet account. Employers cannot require employees or applicants to access their accounts in the employer’s presence nor require them to accept an invitation to Read more

Oregon employers are accustomed to an annual increase in the state’s minimum wage rate because of the adjustment made for inflation each January 1. This year was different. For the first time in recent history, Oregon’s minimum wage did not increase on January 1. Instead, Governor Kate Brown signed into law a bill increasing the Read more

The state of New Jersey continues the municipal paid sick leave momentum. On March 14, 2016, Plainfield became the 12th New Jersey city to pass a paid sick leave ordinance. The Sick Leave for Private Employees Ordinance requires private employers to provide paid sick time to employees working in the city for at least 80 Read more

Thanks to a new California Law, California minimum wage workers will soon see an increase in their paychecks. The new minimum wage law also puts California in place with the highest statewide minimum wage rate in the nation – $15.00 per hour. The minimum wage rate high will take several years to realize and may Read more

On April 11, 2016, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon signed Executive Order 16-04 to implement a ban the box hiring policy for government entities. As defined in the Order, ban the box is a “policy which places questions relating to an individual’s criminal history later in the hiring process in order to provide applicants an opportunity Read more

Seattle 4-In-One “Workplace Poster” Late last year, the City of Seattle, Washington conducted an overhaul of its labor laws, enhancing employee protections and standardizing employer compliance requirements with the passage of Ordinance 124960. The changes affect the way employers must administer their workplace policies and procedures and provide greater protection to applicants and employees that Read more

Washington Unemployment Benefits Washington State requires employers responsible for unemployment insurance coverage of their employees to post the mandatory Unemployment Benefits poster. The notice has several important changes that affect applicant eligibility and application procedures. This includes: Applicants must be able to provide employer history for the last 18 months Applicants that were in the Read more