State Employment Law Articles

The Pennsylvania legislature has amended the state law on unemployment compensation to require employers in the Commonwealth to provide employees at the time of separation with notice of the availability of unemployment compensation — regardless of whether the employer is liable for payment of contr

On April 13, 2020, Washington Governor Inslee issued a proclamation prohibiting employers from engaging in certain employment practices with respect to employees considered high-risk under the proclamation. The proclamation, which remains in effect until 11:59 p.m. on June 12, 2020, requires employe

On April 15, 2020, the Wisconsin Senate convened for its first-ever virtual session to pass a COVID-19 relief package. Governor Tony Evers signed the bill moments later. The law does not include many of the employment-related provisions members of both political parties recently proposed, but the le

Constructive discharge is a form of wrongful termination under the Puerto Rico Unjust Dismissal statute, Act No. 80 of May 30, 1976 (“Act 80”). Unlike in traditional wrongful termination cases, plaintiffs alleging constructive discharge bear the burden of proof in establishing that the employer forc

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has signed a comprehensive whistleblower protection law, the first of its kind for Virginia. The Whistleblower Law becomes effective on July 1, 2020.

Clarifying months of confusion, the Virginia General Assembly has passed HB 689, effective July 1, 2020, requiring employers in Virginia to report on employees’ wage statements the number of hours worked during the pay period if the employee is paid on the basis of (i) the number of hours worked or

n April 14, 2020, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, again, passed a public health emergency leave ordinance (the "PHELO"). The ordinance is very similar to the ordinance the Board passed exactly one week earlier, but contains changes—some expected, and some made during the Board's meeting. The

The D.C. Council has unanimously passed the COVID-19 Response Supplemental Emergency Amendment Act of 2020, a bill designed to provide further emergency relief to D.C. workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The New Jersey Legislature has passed a bill that authorizes the Governor to provide distressed small businesses the ability to invoke an “emergency rent suspension” during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The New Jersey Legislature has passed a bill to amend the Millville-Dallas Airmotive Plant Job Loss Notification Act (New Jersey WARN law) to create a notice exception for mass layoffs under specific circumstances and delay the effective date of the previous amendments.

As part of New York State’s 2020–21 budget, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation which largely reverts the election leave law back to its original state (with some exceptions), prior to the amendments passed in 2019. The 2019 amendments were criticized by many for providing election leave entitle

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has issued a Proclamation extending various job protections to “high-risk” Washington employees. The Proclamation protects (1) any individual aged 65 or older, (2) anyone living in a nursing home or long-term care facility, and (3) those with “certain chronic und

Puerto Rico’s Law 37-2020 provides certain employees up to five days of paid leave once they exhaust other paid leave.

On April 9, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Puerto Rico Governor Hon. Wanda Vázquez-Garced signed into law House Bill No. 2428 (“Bill No. 2428”), now Act No. 37-2020, to amend the Puerto Rico Minimum Salary, Vacation and Sick Leave Act, otherwise known as Act 180-1998. The purpose of Bil

Balancing the recommendations of the Medical and Economic Task Forces convened to address the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor of Puerto Rico Hon. Wanda Vazquez-Garced on April 12, 2020 issued Executive Order 2020-033 (“EO” or the “Order”). While the priority continues to be curbing the spread of COVID-1

Effective July 1, 2020, the Virginia Values Act expands the scope of the Virginia Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination in employment and housing on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The new law also fundamentally changes the legal rights and remedies available to employees

At 9:15 p.m. on April 7, 2020, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued an emergency order that immediately required certain employers to provide supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) during the COVID-19 public health emergency, superseding the ordinance passed by the Los Angeles City Council. Four days

Effective April 13, 2020, at 8:00 p.m., New Jersey Transit and other carriers are directed under New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s Executive Order 125 (EO 125) to implement procedures and policies designed to combat the spread of COVID-19. This is the Governor’s 24th Executive Order since the onset

Following a three-year investigation conducted by Newsday into alleged unequal treatment toward minority homebuyers on Long Island, New York has announced proposed regulations to combat housing discrimination that would impose certain mandates on the real estate industry.

On April 3, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the 2020-2021 state budget bills, part of which amended the Home Health Care Worker Wage Parity Law (“Wage Parity Law”). The Wage Parity Law establishes a minimum wage rate, additional wages and supplemental benefits for home care aides who per