Labor Law Updates

Keeping you current on the ever changing labor laws

On December 31, 2016, New York’s minimum wage rate increased from $9.00 per hour to $9.70 per hour. Our readers may remember that the New York State Legislature passed legislation that would raise the state minimum wage for all hourly wage workers in accordance with a prescribed schedule. The following minimum wage rates, which are Read more

We warned you, and now it’s here – 2017 and the accompanying minimum wage increases for many states. Some states, such as Washington and Arkansas, are experiencing increases but do not require a posting update. Others, though, require the mandatory notice to be updated by the effective date of the increase mandated by law. Compliance Read more

More than a year after the launch of the state’s transformation of its unemployment insurance system into a “reemployment program,” the Nebraska Department of Labor has released an updated version of its Unemployment Insurance: Advisement of Benefits Rights notice. This mandatory posting informs those who qualify for unemployment benefits of their rights and responsibilities under Read more

Starting January 1st, Vermont workers will have extra peace of mind when they miss work because of an illness or injury. Vermont’s Earned Sick Time Act goes into effect on Sunday requiring all employers doing business in or operating in the State of Vermont to provide earned sick time to their employees that can be Read more

The Kentucky Labor Cabinet has revised the mandatory state Safety and Health on the Job posting to reflect the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) anti-retaliation provision. As previously shared on our blog, last May, federal OSHA issued a final rule requiring employers to inform employees of their right to report workplace injuries and illnesses Read more

In April 2016, California enacted legislation (CA SB 3) raising the state’s minimum wage rate each year for the next five years. Consistent with this enactment, the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) amended the General Minimum Wage Order and each of the industry and occupation orders (IWCs) to reflect the minimum wage rates established under Read more

Earlier this month, we reported on Governor Paul LePage’s request for the Maine legislature to amend Question 4, the citizen-initiated referendum that scheduled a gradual increase of the state minimum wage with an eventual endpoint of $12.00 per hour, as well as a gradual elimination of the lower minimum wage for tipped workers. Maine’s minimum Read more

On Monday, Ohio governor John Kasich signed into law Senate Bill 331, which will prohibit local governments from establishing a minimum wage that differs from the state minimum wage and limit the ability of local or state law to curtail an employer’s ability to “establish policies concerning hours and location of work, scheduling, and fringe Read more

On November 16, 2016, the New York City Council passed the Freelance Isn’t Free Act (Int. 1017-2015) with the purpose of protecting freelance workers. Starting March 15, 2017, employers or hiring parties will be required to provide a written contract when employing a freelance worker for services with a value of $800 or more. The Read more

Last May we first blogged about federal OSHA’s controversial Final Rule to “Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses.” The Final Rule requires, among other things, employers to specifically inform employees of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation. This provision, referred to as the “anti-retaliation” rule, was originally scheduled to Read more