State Employment Law Articles

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Effective April 1, 2024, a new California law will require employers in the state’s fast casual restaurant industry to pay covered non-exempt employees a minimum wage of $20 an hour.

The Wisconsin Fair Employment Act’s (WFEA’s) prohibition against discrimination based on employees’ arrest and conviction record has always been considered broad, and its standard of allowing employers to make employment decisions only based on “substantially related” offenses is equally nuanced. Th

California Supreme Court answers questions about state Wage Order No. 16, which governs wages, hours, and working conditions in the construction, drilling, logging, and mining industries, and clarifies scope of “hours worked.” Decision impacts any business in California that requires pre- or post-wo

The 2024 Washington State Legislature passed Substitute Senate Bill (S.S.B.) 5935 in February 2024, and Governor Jay Inslee signed the bill into law on March 13, 2024, updating and clarifying Washington law regarding restrictive covenants (RCW 49.62 et seq.). The new provisions take effect on June 6

With California’s new $20-per-hour minimum wage for fast food workers set to take effect on April 1, 2024, the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has updated its guidance regarding the new minimum wage law’s impact on exempt managers and which employers and employees are covered. Th

The Minnesota Legislature is back in session and actively addressing employment law legislation in several pending bills following a very busy 2023–2024 session last year. The legislature kicked off its 2024 regular session with a slew of employment-related bills presenting both opportunities and ch

The Washington state legislature and certain localities recently passed several bills affecting employers, some of which have already been signed into law. These measures address non-compete agreements, mandatory employer-sponsored meetings, immigration reporting, paid leave, and the minimum wage. E

By: California Supreme Court Examines Compensable Time Based On Security Checks On Monday, the California Supreme Court issued its opinion in Huerta v. CSI Electrical Contractors Inc. , answering three questions about the scope of the term “hours worked” in Wage Order No. 16. While Wage Order No.16

On March 19, 2024, the Connecticut Appellate Court upheld an employer’s right to discharge an employee for being impaired on the job from medical marijuana under a state law that provides employment protections for qualified medical marijuana users.

Christopher P. Maugans , a partner in Goldberg Segalla’s Employment and Labor group, spoke with Law360 regarding New York State’s newly implemented social media law that went into effect in March. He delved into what employers need to understand concerning their employees’ social media accounts and

On March 14, 2024, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation that would add a new provision to the Massachusetts Consumer Protection law and would bar the use of true credit reports for employment purposes, i.e ., for the purpose of evaluating an individual for employment, promot

The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board changed its agenda just hours before a planned vote on whether to adopt the proposed Heat Illness Prevention in Indoor Places of Employment standard at its March 21, 2024, public meeting, leaving it uncertain as to whether the standard ca

Alabama has joined the growing list of states passing laws banning diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in public institutions. On March 20, 2024, Governor Kay Ivey signed into law Senate Bill (SB) No. 129, a measure that limits DEI programs and offices and “divisive concepts,” and des

The regular monthly meeting of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board on March 21, 2024 was anything but regular. The agenda had included voting on a proposed indoor heat illness prevention standard that has been under development for several years. The standard was originally required by a 2016 law calling f

By: LA County Expands California’s “Ban the Box” Effective March 28, 2024 Since California’s enactment of the Fair Chance Act (“Act”) over six years ago, California’s private and county employers with five or more employees have become well-acquainted with the Act’s general prohibition of employers

On March 14, 2024, a bill to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in Kentucky’s public universities cleared the House by a vote of 68-18. Senate Bill 6 (An Act Relating to Postsecondary Institutions) is the most recent Stop-“WOKE” legislation aimed at eliminating diversity-relat

In a significant decision about workplace drug use, the Connecticut Appellate Court backed an employer’s right to terminate a worker who was impaired on the job by medical marijuana. The decision also clarified the factual basis an employer must possess to justify ordering a drug test based on suspi

SB 1515, which the governor is expected to sign, provides some relief to employers under the state’s various leave laws by amending Paid Leave Oregon and the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) to better align. Bill amends Oregon leave laws to mitigate employee leave stacking by eliminating some state le