State Employment Law Articles

Effective January 1, 2024, a new Texas law prohibits public institutions of higher education from, among other things, establishing or maintaining diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices or hiring or assigning officers, employees, or contractors to perform the duties of a DEI office. Institut

On December 14, 2023, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board approved an emergency temporary standard to enhance existing standards regarding the hazards of respirable crystalline silica. The ETS became effective on December 29, 2023. The ETS is of interest to all employers insofar as it marks

Pennsylvania and Philadelphia recently enacted changes that impact employer criminal background screening. State Law Enacted on December 14, 2023, and effective February 12, 2024, Pennsylvania’s House Bill No. 689 amends Pennsylvania law relating to the expungement of certain criminal record informa

With 2023 in the rearview mirror, Connecticut employers may want to confirm they have implemented the necessary changes to address legislative developments that became effective January 1, 2024. Connecticut Minimum Wage

By: A PAGA Victory to Bring in the New Year: Trial Court Holds LWDA Responsible for Prevailing Employer’s Costs Last week a trial court in Alameda County entered an order permitting Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. to recover nearly $125,000 in costs from the California Labor and Workforce Development Agenc

New York State and City law already impose a myriad of posting and notice distribution requirements on New York City employers. Beginning July 1, 2024, New York City employers must distribute to employees and “conspicuously post” a notice provided by city agencies that lists employee rights under fe

New York codifies employer requirement to notify employees of unemployment benefit rights

By: Ringing in the New Year for California Employers: 5 Wage and Hour Tips to Ensure Compliance in 2024 By: Ringing in the New Year for California Employers: 5 Wage and Hour Tips to Ensure Compliance in 2024 As the New Year approaches, many of us are reviewing what we have done

Gov. Hochul signed S5572/A6796 , which increases the threshold for applicability of wage-payment protections under Article 6 of the New York Labor law for certain persons employed in a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity, from $900 to $1,300 per week.

Gov. Hochul signed S5640/A5295 enacting New York Labor Law Section 203-f, which renders any employment agreement unenforceable if it requires employees to assign the rights to inventions developed using the employee’s own property and time. The law does specify exemptions for intellectual property c

The Texas Workforce Commission recently published a notice that employers are required to post in conspicuous locations in their workplaces informing employees about reporting workplace violence or suspicious activity.

After a relatively quiet 2023 legislative season in New Jersey—if you consider a major overhaul of the state’s mini-WARN law and the enactment of a far-reaching Temporary Workers Bill of Rights quiet—New Jersey employers may want to be aware of several important bills making their way through the le

The New York State Department of Labor has approved and made final its proposed regulations to align the state’s industry-specific regulatory wage requirements with the upcoming legislatively approved increases in the state minimum wage.

For Illinois employers, the new year brings a variety of new paid leave laws, the most recent being the Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance passed by the Cook County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 14, 2023.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed Senate Bill S3100A , a bill passed by both houses of the legislature in June, that would prohibit all non-compete agreements.

Under the Massachusetts prevailing wage law (and most prevailing wage laws around the country), construction contractors performing construction on state-funded construction projects are required to pay employees the prevailing wages set by the state for work on the project. In addition, contractors

New York remains one of the busiest states from a business perspective, with ever-changing employment laws that affect businesses. This is the first part of a four-part series providing recent New York employment law updates.

Executive Summary : In response to the State of Illinois enacting the Paid Leave for All Workers Act (“PLAW Act”), which requires 40 hours of paid leave to be provided to employees that can be used for any reason, but exempts Chicago and Cook County because they already had paid sick leave ordinance

Executive Summary : On December 14, 2023, the Cook County Board of Commissioners passed the Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance, which replaces the Earned Sick Leave Ordinance. The new Paid Leave Ordinance (the “Ordinance”) is effective only 17 days later, on December 31, 2023, giving Cook County emplo

Executive Summary : In January 2023, the Illinois Legislature passed the Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAW Act). The PLAW Act specifically exempted the City of Chicago and certain municipalities in Cook County because they already had existing paid sick leave policies, which allowed for leave for