State Employment Law Articles

So. It pays to read EVERY word in a statute. Case in point: AB 1033, which will become law on January 1, 2022. Section 1.5 of the bill purports to add “designated person” to the list of individuals for whom employees may use leave under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA).

The City of Philadelphia announced that starting January 3, 2022, it will require proof of full COVID-19 vaccination for admission to indoor restaurants, bars and other entertainment venues serving food or drinks. The mandate does not apply to masked individuals entering an establishment for less th

Following her announcement of a broad COVID-19 mask mandate for New York businesses effective December 13, 2021, Health Commissioner Mary Bassett has published an order and frequently asked questions clarifying certain issues.

A new Virginia law expands the state’s prohibitions on discrimination in residential real estate transactions and in employment against military members.

Saving a Southern Illinois municipality from trial, John M. Allen and Catherine L. Schwarze of Goldberg Segalla’s Civil Litigation and Trial group convinced the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois to grant summary judgment in an employment discrimination case.

On December 13, 2021, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a revised guidance on face coverings titled Guidance for the Use of Face Covering.

In response to rising COVID-19 case rates, on December 13, 2021, the Philadelphia Department of Health announced a vaccine mandate for patrons and staff of all establishments that sell food or drink for on-site consumption within Philadelphia city limits. The mandate will take effect on January 3, 2

After the passage of Florida Statute 381.00317 on November 17, 2021, employers with employees in Florida were left with new rules relating to COVID-19 vaccination policies, in many instances contrary to the signaled direction of federal government rules and guidance. Moreover, this new Florida law i

Since the inception of California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), claims filed pursuant to the statute’s provisions have increased more than 1000 percent, with the state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) receiving approximately 4,000 PAGA notices each year since 2014. This numb

On December 10, 2021, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new mandate requiring that masks be worn in indoor public spaces, unless a covered business has implemented a mandatory vaccination requirement.

Strikes have been in the news recently. Employers faced with a strike, or a possible strike, often wish to know their legal options, including whether they may seek injunctive relief. The short answer is that federal law prohibits courts from enjoining employees’ exercise of their right to lawfully

Employers continue to have to keep up with changing COVID-19 standards nationwide. New York is one example.

On January 1, 2022, Philadelphia’s ordinance, titled, “Prohibition on Testing for Marijuana as a Condition for Employment,” Phila. Code § 9-5500, et seq., will take effect. The ordinance—which was passed by the Philadelphia City Council on April 22, 2021, and signed into law by Mayor Jim Kenney on A

On December 10, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that face masks must be worn in all indoor public places in New York State, effective December 13, 2021. This measure was taken in response to a notable surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations statewide, attributable to colder weath

Not waiting for guidance from federal authorities, Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has issued emergency rules to implement two new state pandemic-readiness laws: Health Emergency Labor Standards Act (HELSA) (formerly, ESSB 5115; now, RCW 49.17.062-.064) and Voluntary Personal Pro

On December 1, 2021, the South Carolina Supreme Court answered three certified questions from the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina that provide clarification on the legal rights stemming from the at-will employment relationship, including its termination, and a third p

With the start date of the Washington payroll tax to fund long-term care benefits for workers looming, state lawmakers are considering changes to the law even while lawsuits have been filed to modify or undo it.

Earlier today, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a first-in-the-nation vaccine mandate covering all private-sector workers in NYC that will take effect on December 27, 2021. According to Mayor de Blasio, the mandate will cover approximately 184,000 businesses.

Thousands of employers operating in California have the unfortunate experience of defending a lawsuit filed under California’s infamous Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Data from the state’s Labor and Workforce Development agency indicates that the average PAGA case lasts two years and results

On December 6, 2021, outgoing New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced major expansions to New York’s “Key to NYC” program, which was implemented through Emergency Executive Order 225 and became effective on August 17, 2021. The mayor also announced a first-in-the-nation vaccination mandate for