Labor Law Updates

Keeping you current on the ever changing labor laws

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

All employers covered by Wisconsin’s Unemployment Insurance law are required to display the Notice to Employees about Applying for Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance where employees can easily read it. If employers do not have a permanent work site regularly accessed by employees, a copy of the notice must be provided to each employee. The Notice to Read more

On March 24, 2016, Austin became the latest city to approve the Fair Chance Hiring Ordinance also known as “Ban the Box” law. The law applies to employers with at least 15 employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year. Under the Ordinance, Read more