State Employment Law Articles

A bill recently signed into law by New York Governor Hochul and now in effect prohibits certain "stay or pay" agreements that require employees to repay their employer for training costs if the employee resigns before a specified period.

Limited Exceptions – Only narrow carve-outs for employer liability in grave injury cases or unknown identity, allowing 120 days post-discovery

Colorado lawmakers recently changed the state’s paid family and medical leave (FAMLI) program to reduce the premiums and add an extra twelve weeks for employees who are parents of a child receiving inpatient treatment in neonatal intensive care. The new rules will take effect on January 1, 2026.

Employers who ignore wage judgments will face sharp consequences starting January 1, 2026 — including mandatory attorneys’ fees and triple the amount owed. Jen explains the new enforcement framework and what HR and payroll leaders can do now to prevent costly exposure.

Effective immediately: New bar on New York State employers’ requiring “employment promissory notes” as a condition of employment. Also, an amendment to the New York State Human Rights Law clarifies that an actual or predictable adverse effect of an employer’s practice, regardless of intent, suffices

Changes are coming in 2026 to minimum wage, paid leave, and paid sick leave laws that will impact employers operating within Connecticut.

Hochul signs laws that protect individuals who request a reasonable accommodation from retaliation and prohibit the use of a person’s consumer credit history in employment decisions

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Revises Guidelines on Its Paid Sick Days Act On December 9, 2025, the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s Office of Equal Protection released revised guidelines regarding the administration of the Pittsburgh Paid Sick Days Act (PSDA). The PSDA Revised Guidelines both add new

New York Is the Eleventh State to Restrict Employers’ Use of Credit History On December 19, 2025, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law S03072, amending the New York Fair Credit Reporting Act1 to prohibit New York employers from obtaining or using consumer credit history in hiring and perso

Employers covered by Cal-WARN must now include new information in layoff and closure notices — including access to workforce development and food-assistance programs. Jen details what changed, who’s covered, and how to avoid a compliance crisis during a downsizing.

Federal Court (Mostly) Blocks California’s Push into Labor Law Last week, a U.S. district court blocked California from enforcing most of its expansive new labor law, AB 288 . tgelbman@littler.com Mon, 12/29/2025 - 09:55

On November 20, 2025, the Philadelphia City Council amended the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance (PFPO) to prohibit discrimination against employees based on menstruation, perimenopause, and menopause. Starting January 1, 2027, Philadelphia employers must, upon request, provide reasonable accom

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more widely used in hiring and employment decisions, Illinois has taken a significant step to regulate how employers must inform workers about AI’s use. Effective January 1, 2026, House Bill 3773 amended the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) to require, among o

On December 15, 2025, the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights (DCR) issued new comprehensive rules that codify and reinforce disparate impact liability under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) in employment and other contexts. The rules, which aim to codify existing case law in New Jers

On December 19, 2025, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law that prohibits certain “stay or pay” agreements that require employees to repay their employer for specific training costs if the employee leaves before a specified period. The law took effect immediately.

Several employment-related cases are currently pending before the California Supreme Court, and their outcomes could have a significant impact on workplace policies and risk management for employers and HR professionals. Fuentes v. Empire Nissan, Inc. This case addresses whether a form arbitration a

Puerto Rico OSHA Updates Penalty Structure for Employer Noncompliance Puerto Rico (PR) OSHA has issued a public notice announcing revisions to the fines and penalties imposed on employers for noncompliance with adopted OSHA standards, effective as of November 3, the date of the notice’s publication.

Takeaways

New York State’s 2025 legislative session marked a notable moment in the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and privacy regulation. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Responsible AI Safety and Education (RAISE) Act, creating one of the first state-level frameworks aimed specifically at the most