The Beltway Buzz is a weekly update summarizing labor and employment news from inside the Beltway and clarifying how what’s happening in Washington, D.C. could impact your business.
Archives for July 8, 2022
Illinois Enacts Law Banning Racial Discrimination Based on Hairstyle or Hair Texture
On July 1, 2022, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 3616, also known as the CROWN Act. The CROWN (“Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair”) Act (Public Act 102-1102) amends the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) to expand the definition of “race” for
MSHA’s Enhanced Enforcement Program on Driver Safety Raises Questions for Mine Operators
On the Mine Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) website, there is a notice about an enhanced enforcement program focused on mine operators’ responsibilities that aims to reduce accidents, injuries, and fatalities for contract and customer truck drivers, as well as managers and supervisors performing mining work.
Service Animal Access to Healthcare Facilities
While people may be familiar with many of the rules relating to the admission of service animals into public venues, do the same rules apply when a patient or visitor seeks to enter a hospital, medical office, or other healthcare facility accompanied by a service animal?
Most healthcare facilities, particularly
CPPA Releases Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
At the start of June, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA), the agency tasked with implementing and enforcing the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) which amended the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), voted to begin the rulemaking process.
On July 8, 2022, the CPPA officially began the formal rule-making process
PBGC Institutes Major Changes in its Special Financial Assistance Final Rule
On July 7, 2022, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), the independent federal corporation that insures private-sector defined benefit plans under Title IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), announced its final rule setting requirements and procedures for the Special Financial Assistance (SFA) program for
Paid Family Leave Grant for Small Employers
California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, which is administered by the Employment Development Department (EDD) provides eligible employees with up to 8 weeks of wage replacement benefits when an employee is off work for certain qualifying reasons.
Read more here.
Legal Hold Struggles With New Data Types Won’t Last Forever
Denise Backhouse explains some of the data challenges legal professionals face, including new technologies and forms of data, and the large volume of data that makes it harder to target the data they need for discovery.
Legaltech News
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Arbitrator says employer can terminate employee who refused vaccine
Rhonda B. Levy, Barry Kuretzky and George Vassos write about a British Columbian case decision that instructs an employer on how to handle a situation where an employee refuses to comply with a vaccination mandate.
Human Resources Director Canada
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As costs rise, is an $18 minimum wage the new standard for pay debates?
Shannon Meade talks about states implementing minimum wage increases, increases in employers’ total compensation packages and the trend in “unretirements.”
HR Dive
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Panic Buttons and Workload Limits: Los Angeles Hotel Workers Get New Protections
Over the past few years, cities have started to implement their own workplace regulations, an area previously reserved to federal and state governments. The hotel industry, which often is one of the primary drivers of a local economy, has been a particular focus.1 City governments, including Santa Monica and
Reminder: Certain California Employers Without 401(k) Plans Must Register For CalSavers Retirement Program
As of June 30, 2022, employers with at least five California employees must register for the CalSavers Retirement Program if they do not otherwise offer a 401(k) plan to their employees. The CalSavers Retirement Savings Trust Act
Should a picture of Ryan Gosling be a part of your job application?
In the US, you should not include your own picture on your resume or application. We like to pretend no one will discriminate based on race, gender, weight, or bad dye job, if we don’t have pictures on our resumes. Then we all put links to our LinkedIn accounts
U.S. Supreme Court Declines Review of AB 5
In April 2021, the 9th Circuit panel held that the application of California Assembly Bill 5 (AB 5) to motor carriers is not preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (FAAAA). Under AB 5, the test for whether a worker is appropriately classified as an independent contractor became