Labor Law Updates

Keeping you current on the ever changing labor laws

In the District of Columbia, employees are free to discuss their wages with other employees without fear of reprisal from their employers. On March 11, 2015, the District of Columbia’s Wage Transparency Act of 2014 (WTA) took effect providing that an employer may not prohibit an employee from inquiring about, disclosing, comparing, or otherwise discussing Read more

Effective October 1, 2015, Maryland employers are prohibited from discriminating against interns with respect to the terms, conditions or privileges of their internships (including offering and terminating internships), on the basis of the individual’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability. The law also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for Read more

Now effective, Montana law (H 343) prohibits employers from requesting employees and prospective employees’ personal social media passwords. As defined in the law, personal social media means password-protected electronic service or account containing content, including but not limited to email, videos, photographs, blogs, video blogs, podcasts, instant and text messages, internet website profiles or locations, Read more

New Outdoor Heat Illness Prevention standards go into effect in California on May 1, 2015. California’s heat illness regulations influence how heat illness prevention and safety standards are implemented across the country. The regulations will affect how employers with employees working outdoors in any industry prepare for and manage warm-season working conditions. Highlights of the Read more

A bill was recently passed in the city of New York that may prohibit discrimination based on consumer credit history. The term consumer credit history is defined in the bill as the individual’s credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, or payment history as indicated by a consumer credit report, credit score, or information the employer Read more

The District of Columbia has stepped up enforcement efforts against wage theft. The District’s Wage Theft Prevention Amendment Act of 2014 (WTPAA) went into effect on February 26, 2015, imposing new recordkeeping obligations on employers, establishing additional wage enforcement procedures, and increasing penalties and damages when an employer violates one of several wage payment laws. Read more

A new law protecting domestic workers in the state of Massachusetts is now effective. The Massachusetts Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights, effective April 1, 2015, covers individuals who perform work of a domestic nature within a household. Employers employing domestic workers must review their current employment practices to stay compliant. Under the new law, employees Read more