State Employment Law Articles

Executive Summary. Home care agencies in New York are still experimenting with different ways to meet the State's Wage Parity Act ("Act" or "WPA") requirements. The Act requires a minimum basic wage (cash) of the applicable New York State minimum wage plus additional wages or supplemental wages (i.e

Puerto Rico’s Financial Oversight and Management Board and Governor Ricardo Rosselló have sent bills to the Puerto Rico legislature to repeal the Unjust Dismissal Act, Act No. 80 of May 30, 1976 (Act 80). If either bill is enacted, employers in Puerto Rico will no longer be required to have “just ca

After considerable fact-finding efforts and numerous amendments, Duluth, Minnesota enacted Minnesota’s third paid sick and safe time law. Employers with Minnesota operations may not find three to be a magic number because—while parts of the new law are similar to those in Minneapolis and St. Paul—Du

On May 17, 2018, California’s Fair Employment and Housing Commission (“FEHC”) published the final text of its “Regulations Regarding National Origin Discrimination” (to be codified at 2 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 11027 & 11028). The regulations, which become effective July 1, 2018, expand the definition of

South Carolina has a new law protecting pregnant women and new mothers in the workplace. Effective May 17, 2018, the South Carolina Pregnancy Accommodations Act amended the South Carolina Human Affairs Law (S.C. Code Ann. §§ 1-13-10, et seq.), to provide additional protections for pregnant workers a

Maine’s new recreational marijuana law permits employers to enforce workplace policies restricting the use of marijuana and to take disciplinary action in accordance with those workplace policies.

Executive Summary: Employees are increasingly exposed to traffic and longer commute times, and some employees drive during the course and scope of their employment. Hands-free technology makes it possible to safely conduct business from a vehicle. As such, Georgia employers should be aware of recent

On May 31, 2018, the Nevada Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in MDC Restaurants, LLC v. The Eighth Judicial Dist. Court, 134 Nev. Op. 41 (May 31, 2018), addressing arguably the most hotly contested issue of law regarding the Nevada Constitution’s Minimum Wage Amendment, Nev. Cost. art. XV §

A provision in New York’s 2013 Racing, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Breeding Law authorizing casinos to take bets on sporting events had been held in suspension because of the federal ban on state-regulated sports wagering. Now, as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s striking down the Professional and

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a narrow ruling in favor of a baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, No. 16-111 (June 4, 2018).

The South Carolina Pregnancy Accommodations Act amends the South Carolina Human Affairs Law to require employers with at least 15 employees to provide reasonable accommodations to employees for medical needs arising from pregnancy, childbirth, or other related medical conditions (including lactation

In its May 24, 2018 opinion in the matter of Diaz v. Grill Concepts Services, Inc. (Case no. B280846, 2nd Dist.), the California Court of Appeal shed further light on the standard to impose so-called “waiting time penalties” on employers who neglect to pay wages due upon discharge or resignation. Di

Back in January, Colorado lawmakers on both sides of the aisle introduced a groundbreaking new bill requiring “reasonable security procedures and practices” for protecting personal identifying information, limiting the time frame to notify affected Colorado residents and the Attorney General of a da

Last month, South Dakota and Alabama became the final two states to enact a data breach notification law. In addition, many other states, in response to trends, heightened public awareness, and a string of large-scale data breaches, have continued amending their existing laws. Arizona is the latest

Connecticut is the latest state to prohibit employers from asking prospective employees about past compensation. Effective January 1, 2019, employers may not ask (directly or through a third party) about a prospective employee’s wage and salary history unless the prospective employee volunteers the

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling that class action waivers in employment arbitration agreements are enforceable under the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) does not extend to claims under the California Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis, No. 16-285; Ernst & Young LL

The New Jersey State Bar Association recently met to discuss, among other things, our favorite topic: Cybersecurity. (Perhaps our esteemed Privacy, e-Communication and Data Security Practice Group chair was there….) We wanted to briefly mention two critical points discussed:

Executive Summary: As of July 1, 2018, the City of Chicago, as owner and operator of Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport (the “Airports”), will require that certain users of the Airports enter into a “labor peace agreement” with labor organizations as a cond

On Thursday, May 17, 2018, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster signed one of the most significant new pieces of state legislation impacting employers in recent years. The South Carolina Pregnancy Accommodations Act (HB 3865) will, among other things, require employers to notify employees of their

Executive Summary: In November, the New York City Council passed a law amending the Earned Sick Time Act, changing the name to the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA), and allowing employees to use paid time off under ESSTA if they or their family members are victims of domestic violence and other