On May 19, 2023, Governor Tim Walz signed into law House File No. 782, establishing the Minnesota Secure Choice retirement program. Minnesota has now joined California, Colorado, Oregon, Illinois, and other states in creating a state-run retirement savings program for employees working with small employers without their own retirement plans.
Articles Discussing Labor And Employment Law In All Fifty Us States And Puerto Rico.
NYSDFS Fines Lender and Mortgage Servicer $4.25M for Cybersecurity Failures Including Vendor Management
Yesterday, New York’s Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) announced another enforcement action under the state’s Cybersecurity Requirements for Financial Services Companies, 23 N.Y.C.R.R. Part 500 (“Reg 500”). According to the press release, OneMain Financial Group LLC (“OneMain”) will pay a $4.25 million penalty to New York State for alleged violations
Evanston, Illinois Establishes a Fair Workweek Ordinance
Evanston, Illinois Fair Workweek Ordinance will require covered employers to provide a written good-faith estimate of work schedules and premium pay for changes. The ordinance, which takes effect on September 1, 2023, includes a host of new scheduling and recordkeeping requirements for employers in the hospitality, food service,
Natural Hairstyle Discrimination Protections Passed in Kentucky and Beyond
On May 12, 2023, Lexington became the fourth city in Kentucky to protect hairstyles under its local anti-discrimination ordinances. The Lexington CROWN Act (Ordinance No.
Pay Transparency Bill Headed to Illinois Governor
Illinois employers already required to make pay disclosures for the Equal Pay Registration Certificate (ERPC) process would face even more stringent pay transparency duties under legislation currently headed to Governor Pritzker for signature. If approved by the governor, HB 3129 would mandate that Illinois employers include a pay scale
Minnesota Legislature Passes New Recreational Marijuana Bill
The Minnesota Legislature sent a recreational marijuana bill, House File 100, to Governor Tim Walz’s desk for his signature. Subject to various restrictions, the bill, allows individuals twenty-one years old and older to possess and transport various levels of cannabis products, consume cannabis in private/public areas, and grow it. Governor
California Supreme Court Extends Whistleblower Protections Again
In a unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court of California concluded that an employee’s disclosure about suspected violations of the law to the employer or a government agency is protected whistleblowing activity under California’s Labor Code, even when the disclosure relates to information already known by the employer or a government
Next Puerto Rico Minimum Wage Increase: July 1, 2023
Puerto Rico’s second automatic increase in the minimum wage is July 1, 2023, from $8.50 per hour to $9.50 per hour.
Employers Beware: Slew of New Illinois Employment Laws Passed and Poised to Take Effect
Executive Summary: For this entire 2023-2024 Illinois legislative term, we have been closely watching dozens of proposed employment bills make their way through the Illinois Legislature. In the weeks of May 8 and 15, 2023, seven of these bills passed both houses and await Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature, which we have no doubt will occur. There is also a possible Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) reform bill in the works, though very watered down compared to the versions proposed by several Republican legislators. We will first focus on the bills that have passed both houses. We have prepared a separate legal alert regarding HB1363, which makes significant changes to the Illinois Gender Violence Act, which can be accessed here.
Illinois Gender Violence Act to Specifically Apply to Employers
Executive Summary: Illinois employers should be aware that they will likely be subject to liability under amendments to the Illinois Gender Violence Act (GVA) proposed by recent legislation. HB1363 is one of a number of bills that recently passed both houses of the Illinois Legislature and should soon be sent to the governor for signature. We will be publishing an Alert discussing the other bills and their potential impact on Illinois employers, but this Alert focuses on HB1363, which will make the GVA specifically applicable to employers.
Voting and Sick Leave for Georgia Employees
A new Georgia law takes effect on July 1, 2023 (GA S 129), that provides employees time off to advance vote in primaries and elections. This new measure amends existing law and, among other things, provides time off for employees to advance vote and revises provisions related to time off
New Florida Law Will Require Private Employers to Use E-Verify Beginning July 1, 2023
Executive Summary: On May 10, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a new immigration bill, SB 1718. While the wide ranging bill has implications on a variety of subjects from health care, driver’s licenses and human smuggling, this alert will focus on its employment related implications. The new law places Florida among the 20 states that require E-Verify for some or all employees. Beginning on July 1, 2023, private employers with more than 25 employees will be required to use E-Verify for all new hires. Notably, Florida public employers and contractors have been required to use E-Verify since January 1, 2021.
Florida’s New Law Overhauls Public Sector Labor Laws Related to Dues Deduction and Labor Organization Registration
Executive Summary: On May 9, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law Senate Bill 256, which overhauls Florida’s Public Employees Relations Act, implementing significant changes to procedures related to dues authorization and deduction, registration requirements, and certification procedures for public employers and public sector labor unions. However, labor unions representing law enforcement officers, correctional officers, correctional probation officers, and firefighters are exempted from most of the provisions of the new law.
California OSHA Indoor Heat Illness Standard Moves Forward in Standards Board Process
On May 19, 2023, in San Diego, California, the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) received public comment regarding the proposed Indoor Heat Standard. The board took public comment and discussed the regulation on the closing day of the forty-five-day comment period.
Minnesota Legislature Moves Omnibus Jobs and Economic Development Bill Forward
On May 17, 2023, the Minnesota state legislature passed an omnibus jobs and economic development and labor funding bill that could have serious implications for employers in the state, including a ban on noncompete clauses, paid sick leave, pregnancy and nursing accommodations, and sweeping worker safety protections. The bill is
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