Recent Updates

Virginia has enacted legislation (House Bill 622) that prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for discussing their wages. House Bill 622 takes effect July 1, 2020.

Currently, Bay Area employers with 20 or more employees (located anywhere) are required to provide eligible San Francisco employees up to six weeks of supplemental compensation if they take time off to bond with a new child. Effective July 1, 2020, this requirement will increase to eight weeks of supplemental compensation.

The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) has adopted an emergency rule that requires employers to provide an unemployment insurance notice to employees whose work schedule and/or employment status is impacted by COVID-19.

Following Senate Bill 2353, amendments to New Jersey's mini-WARN Act that were scheduled to take effect on July 19, 2020 will now take effect 90 days after the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency as declared by the Governor's Executive Order 103 of 2020.

Maryland has enacted legislation (House Bill 1202) that will prohibit employers from using facial recognition services during an interview unless the applicant consents. House Bill 1202 takes effect Oct. 1, 2020.

Maryland has enacted legislation (House Bill 123 and House Bill 14) that requires employers to provide pay transparency to applicants, prohibits employers from seeking an applicant's pay history, and bars employers from taking adverse action against employees for inquiring about their own wages. Both laws take effect on Oct. 1, 2020.

Maryland has enacted legislation (House Bill 1444) that will expressly prohibit employers from discriminating against individuals because of hair texture and protective hairstyles. House Bill 1444 takes effect Oct. 1, 2020.

Maryland has enacted legislation (Senate Bill 780) that amends the Economic Stabilization Act (also known as Mini-WARN) to require Maryland employers with at least 50 employees to provide 60 days' written notice before initiating a reduction in operations. Senate Bill 780 takes effect Oct. 1, 2020.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) has published an emergency rule that temporarily requires employers in certain industries to provide paid sick leave to employees for certain COVID-19 related purposes. Employees may be entitled to leave if they have flu-like symptoms or other respiratory illness symptoms and are being tested for COVID-19 or if they are under instruction from a health care provider or government official to quarantine or isolate due to a risk of having COVID-19.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a temporary policy regarding expired documents used for Form I-9 purposes. The Form I-9 is used to verify a new hire's identity and work authorization.