Regulatory Watch
Compliance Corner
Stay current with HR compliance changes, new regulations, and legal updates affecting employers.
Expense Reimbursement Requirements: A 50-State Guide for Employers
A guide to employee expense reimbursement laws across all 50 states. At least 11 states currently mandate reimbursement for necessary business expenses, with California and Illinois having the broadest requirements.
By Joel Riley
Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplaces Act
Nebraska passed the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, bringing paid sick time to the state effective October 1, 2025 . Now, Nebraska has amended the Act in the following ways: The Act applies to employers with 11 or more emplo...
By John Baldino
Maryland Excludes FMLA-Covered Employers from Parent Lea
Maryland has passed a law that explicitly excludes from coverage under the state's Parental Leave Act (MPLA) employers who are already covered under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for the current calendar y...
By John Baldino
Oregon Updates Oregon Family Leave Act and Paid Leave
Oregon has amended the state's Family Leave Act (OFLA) to clarify when leave may be taken by an employee to care for a child of the employee who is suffering from an illness, injury or condition that requires home care or who requires ...
By John Baldino
Florida Loosens Restrictions on Noncompete Agreements for Highly Paid Employees
Effective immediately, Florida has passed the CHOICE Act, which allows employers to enforce robust restrictive covenants against certain highly compensated employees. The Act concerns "garden leave agreements" and "noncompete agreements." "Garden ...
By John Baldino
Maine Amends Law Governing the Accrual of Earned Paid Leave
Maine has amended the state's Earned Paid Leave law to allow employees to continue accruing up to 40 hours of leave in addition to any accrued, unused leave that the employee carried over from the previous year. For example, an employee with 10 ho...
By John Baldino
Changes to the WA (Washington State) Cares Fund Expand Long-Term Care Support
Recently, Washington state lawmakers signed a new law expanding Washingtonians’ options for accessing long-term care support through the WA Cares Fund. The law creates opportunities for Washingtonians to purchase affordable supplemental long-term ...
By John Baldino
Pittsburgh Expands Paid Sick Days Act
Pittsburgh has amended the city's Paid Sick Days Act to provide for faster accrual and increased paid sick leave hours. The amended law will go into effect January 1, 2026 . All employers will be required to provide covered employees one hour of p...
By John Baldino
Minnesota Makes Changes to Sick and Safe Time, Paid Leave, and Meal & Rest Break Laws
Minnesota has made several changes to its Earned Sick and Safe Time (“ESST”) law, Paid Leave program, and meal and rest break rules, as follows: Under the state's Paid Leave program, which goes into effect next year, the premium rate will not be a...
By John Baldino
New York City Requires Employers to Provide Paid Prenatal Personal Leave
As you know, Section 196-b of the New York state Labor Law was amended in 2024 to require, on and after January 1, 2025, that every employer provide its employees twenty hours of paid prenatal personal leave during any fifty-two-week calendar peri...
By John Baldino
"Medium Employers" Under Chicago's Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave Ordinance Required to Pay Out Unused, Accrued Paid Leave
Under Chicago's Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave ordinance , a medium employer (i.e., anyone with 51 - 100 eligible employees) has only had to pay out a maximum of 16 hours of unused, accrued paid leave upon an employee's termination, resignation, r...
By John Baldino
Georgia Updates Equal Pay for Equal Work Act Poster
Georgia has released an updated mandatory Equal Pay for Equal Work Act poster with a new design, updated revision date, and clarified instructions for employers and employees.
By Joel Riley
Georgia Releases Updated Employee Vacation Poster
Georgia has updated its mandatory Employee Vacation poster with revised language around unpaid vacation notice requirements and a redesigned format including the Labor Commissioner's information.
By Joel Riley
Georgia Updates Unemployment Insurance Poster Requirements
Georgia has released an updated mandatory Unemployment Insurance poster reflecting current Department of Labor office locations and filing information for unemployment claims.
By Joel Riley
Maryland Delays Paid Family and Medical Leave Implementation with SB 828 Amendments
Maryland SB 828 delays the state's paid family and medical leave contributions to October 2024 and benefits to January 2026, while expanding eligibility.
By Joel Riley
Tennessee Updates Wage Regulations and Child Labor Poster with New Minor Employment Rules
Tennessee revised its mandatory Wage Regulations and Child Labor poster in May 2024, reflecting new working hour restrictions for minors ages 14-15, clarified break period rules, and updated prohibited occupations for minors.
By Joel Riley
Cal/OSHA Updates Occupational Safety and Health Posting Requirements for 2024
Cal/OSHA updated its mandatory occupational safety and health poster for 2024 to reflect additional requirements for OSHA violations. Employers must post the updated version at all California worksites.
By Joel Riley
California Updates Wage Theft Notice to Reflect Expanded Paid Sick Leave
California's Wage Theft Prevention Act notice must be updated to reflect SB 616's expanded paid sick leave — now 40 hours/5 days for use and 80 hours/10 days maximum accrual. Effective January 1, 2024.
By Joel Riley
Oregon Expands Family Leave to Include Bias Crime Victims
Oregon HB 3443 expands the Oregon Family Leave Act to provide up to 160 hours of protected leave per year for victims of bias crimes, effective January 1, 2024.
By Joel Riley
Corporate Transparency Act: What Employers Need to Know About Beneficial Ownership Reporting
The federal Corporate Transparency Act requires many businesses to file beneficial ownership reports with FinCEN starting January 1, 2024. Small employers should determine if they are a reporting company.
By Joel Riley
California Expands Bereavement Leave to Cover Reproductive Loss
California SB 848 expands bereavement leave to include reproductive loss events such as miscarriage, stillbirth, and failed adoption. Employees may take up to 5 days of unpaid leave per event, effective January 1, 2024.
By Joel Riley
Nevada Expands Domestic Violence Leave to Include Sexual Assault Victims
Nevada's AB 163 expands its domestic violence leave law to cover victims of sexual assault, providing up to 160 hours of protected leave. Effective January 1, 2024.
By Joel Riley
Minnesota Expands Sick Leave Law to Include Domestic Violence Leave
Minnesota's SB 3035 expands the forthcoming statewide sick and safe leave law to include leave for victims of domestic violence. The sick leave law takes effect January 1, 2024.
By Joel Riley
Ohio Legalizes Recreational Marijuana but Preserves Employer Drug Testing Rights
Ohio voters legalized recreational marijuana via Issue 2, effective December 7, 2023. Employers retain full rights to enforce drug-free workplace policies and conduct drug testing.
By Joel Riley
New York City Prohibits Employment Discrimination Based on Height and Weight
New York City passed Int. No. 209-A, prohibiting employment discrimination based on height and weight, with exceptions for certain safety-related positions. Effective November 22, 2023.
By Joel Riley
New York Expands Restrictions on Confidentiality Agreements in Discrimination Cases
New York S4516 expands restrictions on confidentiality provisions in settlement agreements to cover all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation — not just sexual harassment. Effective immediately.
By Joel Riley
New York Requires Written Separation Notice for Terminated Employees
New York now requires employers to provide written notice to terminated employees of their right to apply for unemployment benefits, plus a completed record of employment. Effective November 13, 2023.
By Joel Riley
Massachusetts Allows Paid Leave Top-Up to 100% Wage Replacement
Massachusetts updated its Paid Family and Medical Leave program to allow employees to supplement PFML benefits with accrued paid leave to reach 100% wage replacement, effective November 1, 2023.
By Joel Riley
Connecticut Updates Anti-Discrimination Statute to Include Age and Modernize Sexual Orientation Definition
Connecticut HB 6638 adds age as a protected class under the state's anti-discrimination statute and modernizes the definition of sexual orientation.
By Joel Riley
Connecticut Expands Paid Sick Leave to Include Mental Health Wellness Days
Connecticut's SB 2 expands permitted uses of paid sick leave to include mental health wellness days and time for parents of domestic violence victims. Effective October 1, 2023.
By Joel Riley
California Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP): Employer Requirements and Compliance
All California employers with at least one employee must maintain a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). Penalties for non-compliance range up to $25,000.
By Joel Riley
New York Adds Protections Against Employer-Compelled Political and Religious Meetings
New York amended Labor Law Section 201-d to prohibit employers from disciplining employees who refuse to attend employer-sponsored meetings on political or religious matters. The law took effect immediately upon signing in September 2023.
By Joel Riley
Texas Enacts the CROWN Act Expanding Race Discrimination Protections to Include Hairstyles
Texas passed HB 567, the CROWN Act, expanding the definition of race under state anti-discrimination law to include protected hairstyles. Effective September 1, 2023.
By Joel Riley
Colorado Expands Paid Sick Leave Uses to Include Bereavement and Evacuation
Colorado's SB 23-017 expands permitted uses of paid sick leave under the HFWA to include bereavement, family care during closures, and evacuation due to emergencies. Effective August 7, 2023.
By Joel Riley
Minnesota Adopts the CROWN Act Expanding Race Discrimination Protections to Hairstyles
Minnesota passed HB 37, the CROWN Act, expanding the definition of race to include natural, protective, and cultural hairstyles in employment discrimination law.
By Joel Riley
Arkansas Enacts the CROWN Act Banning Hair-Based Race Discrimination
Arkansas passed HB 1576, the CROWN Act, expanding the definition of race to include natural, protective, and cultural hairstyles. Effective August 1, 2023.
By Joel Riley
New Hire Paperwork and Notice Requirements: A State-by-State Resource Guide
A resource guide covering state-by-state new hire paperwork and notice requirements that employers must provide at the time of hiring.
By Joel Riley
Utah Repeals Military Leave Law for Private Employers
Utah repealed its military leave law that previously allowed private-sector employees to take up to 5 years of military leave, deferring to federal USERRA protections.
By Joel Riley
Georgia Makes the Family Care Act Permanent Under Senate Bill 61
Georgia passed Senate Bill 61 making the Family Care Act permanent, allowing employees to use up to 5 days of earned sick time to care for family members. Effective July 1, 2023.
By Joel Riley
New Mexico Expands Human Rights Act to Prohibit Gender and Gender Identity Discrimination
New Mexico's HB 207 expands the Human Rights Act to include updated definitions for sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability. Effective June 16, 2023.
By Joel Riley
Michigan Enacts the CROWN Act Banning Hair-Based Race Discrimination
Michigan enacted SB 90, the CROWN Act, expanding the definition of race under ELCRA to include traits associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles. Effective June 15, 2023.
By Joel Riley
Colorado Supplemental Public Health Emergency Leave Requirement Ends June 9, 2023
Colorado's COVID-era supplemental public health emergency sick leave requirement expires June 9, 2023. The underlying Healthy Families and Workplaces Act sick leave requirements remain in full effect.
By Joel Riley
Maine Updates Gender Identity Protections Under the Human Rights Act
Maine enacted LD 707 updating the Human Rights Act to clarify protections for gender identity and gender expression as protected characteristics. Effective upon signing in April 2023.
By Joel Riley
Colorado Extends Military Leave for National Guard and Reserve Members to Three Weeks
Colorado HB23-1045 extends annual military leave from 15 days to three weeks for National Guard and Reserve members employed by both public and private employers.
By Joel Riley
Seattle Becomes First U.S. Jurisdiction to Ban Caste-Based Discrimination
Seattle passed Council Bill 120511 prohibiting discrimination based on caste, becoming the first U.S. jurisdiction to add caste as a protected category under its Fair Employment Practices Ordinance.
By Joel Riley
New York Paid Sick Leave: Employer Rules on Usage Increments and Accrual
New York's paid sick leave law requires usage by the hour with a maximum four-hour minimum increment. Accrual, caps, and employer obligations vary by company size.
By Joel Riley