Two years after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) passed regulations intended to improve tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses, the federal agency has proposed to amend their own rule in order to limit the information that employers are required to submit. If the rule is approved, employers will no longer be required to Read more
During this year’s legislative term, Vermont lawmakers passed the Employment Protection for Crime Victims Law (HB 711) adding crime victim status to the list of characteristics which are protected from employment discrimination. The law protects both employees and job applicants who are crime victims from discriminatory employment practices and retaliation. The law also requires employers Read more
California Implements New Claim Filing Procedures for Unemployment, Disability and Paid Family Leave Benefits California employers – it’s time to update workplace posters! The California Employment Development Department (EDD) has revised the mandatory-to-post Notice to Employees – Unemployment Insurance (UI), Disability Insurance (DI) and Paid Family Leave (PFL). The California revised UI, DI, and PFL Read more
Earlier this year, the New York City Council passed Int. 1399-2016, amending the Fair Workweek Law. Effective July 18, 2018, employers must allow employees to take two temporary schedule changes per calendar year for a personal event. All employees who work 80 hours or more per calendar year in the City and who have been Read more
Starting August 1, a new law in Minnesota makes it illegal for individuals to intentionally misrepresent an animal as a service animal in order to access the rights or privileges available to a person who qualifies for a service animal under state or federal law. Businesses which are required to allow individuals with disabilities to Read more
State Minimum Wage Rate Jumps 85 Cents Maryland employers – it’s time to update! The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation has updated the required 2018 Maryland Minimum Wage and Overtime Law workplace posting. The posting clearly identifies the current minimum wage rate, $10.10 per hour, and the previous minimum wage rate, $9.25 per Read more
On June 19, 2018, Washington, D.C. voters approved Initiative 77. The initiative was designed to provide a universal minimum wage for both tipped and non-tipped workers. The initiative will: gradually increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2020; gradually increase the minimum wage for tipped employees so that they receive the same minimum Read more
Employers operating in South Carolina are now required to post the new Employment Discrimination notice supplied by the Human Affairs Commission to fulfill the South Carolina Pregnancy Accommodations Act poster requirement. The Pregnancy Accommodations Act is a new law already in effect which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to job applicants and employees who Read more
During the 2018 legislative session, Maine lawmakers overrode Governor LePage’s veto to ensure passage of a new law intended to protect some of the state’s most vulnerable workers: victims of human trafficking who are forced into providing labor with threats, abuse, and manipulation. Although most of the the new law focuses on the ability to Read more
On April 10, 2018, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the New York State Budget Bill, which includes a mandate for employers designed to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Under the mandate, New York employers will be required to provide sexual harassment training to all workers. Employers without anti-harassment policies should start designing and implementing them Read more
