Compliance Corner

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 District of Columbia has enacted an emergency ordinance that requires employers with 50-499 employees to provide paid leave to employees impacted by COVID-19. The emergency ordinance takes effect immediately and expires on July 9, 2020.

Effective immediately, Seattle has expanded the reasons employees may take leave under its Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance.

San Jose, California has adopted an emergency ordinance that will require employers to provide paid sick leave to employees if they are exempt from the leave requirements under the federal FFCRA. The ordinance is in effect from April 7 through Dec. 31, 2020.

Pennsylvania has enacted legislation (House Bill 68) that eases unemployment eligibility rules and requires employers to provide employees with an unemployment notice. House Bill 68 takes effect immediately.

New York has enacted legislation (SB 7506B) that will require all employers in the state to provide employees with sick leave. The law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2021; however, employees begin accruing sick time on Sept. 30, 2020.