Please note the list below is not intended to be comprehensive. Our team is constantly monitoring for updates that may impact organizations across the country.
In this edition of State of Compliance, your guide to the world of employee legislation, we look at changes across 10 states.
Arizona
Colorado
Maine
Maryland
Mississippi
Ohio
Tennessee
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Arizona
House Bill 2108 requires completed criminal background checks for any candidates applying to vehicle-for-hire companies. It also prohibits drivers convicted of certain offenses from working at such businesses.
Colorado
Among many other provisions, Senate Bill 22-050 requires inmates of the Department of Corrections to be paid the state’s minimum wage when they’re employed by private entities under an external program. Read the complete bill here for more information.
Maine
Effective Jan. 1, 2023, LD 225 requires an employer to pay out any unused time accrued through the company’s vacation policy on or after Jan. 1 when an employee resigns. This does not affect public employers or organizations with 10 or less employees. Additionally, a collective bargaining agreement may supersede this requirement.
LD 1786 prevents a state government contractor from discriminating against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, nationality, age or familial status.
Maryland
Effective Oct. 1, 2023, Senate Bill 275, also known as the “Time to Care Act of 2022,” establishes a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program that will be funded through contributions from certain covered employees, employers and self-employed individuals.
Mississippi
Effective July 1, House Bill 770 prevents an employer from paying an employee less than another worker of the opposite sex for the same job that requires equal skill, effort and responsibility and is performed under similar conditions.
Ohio
Effective July 6, Senate Bill 47 excludes certain tasks from qualifying for overtime pay, such as commuting to work and activities that take insubstantial or insignificant periods of time.
Tennessee
House Bill 2078 removes the subminimum wage for an employee whose working capacity is limited by age, a physical or mental deficiency, or injury.
Senate Bill 1780 lowers the threshold for employers verifying new hires’ work authorization status through E-Verify® from 50 or more employees to 35.
Senate Bill 2879 allows veteran employees to take all of Veterans’ Day as an unpaid holiday if they provide one month’s notice and prove their veteran status. They must also confirm their absence won’t impact public health or safety or cause a significant business disruption.
Virginia
Effective July 1, Senate Bill 15 (House Bill 1156) establishes private family leave insurance as a class of insurance. This insurance provides paid family leave to an employee for:
- the birth or adoption of a child
- care for a child through foster care
- care for a family member with a serious health condition
- situations arising from a family member in the military who is or will soon be ordered to active duty
Washington
Effective Jan. 1, 2023, Senate Bill 5761 requires businesses with 15 or more employees to disclose an opening wage scale or salary range for each new job posting, including internal transfers. The bill also requires job postings to include a description of all benefits and other compensation offered to a new hire.
West Virginia
Effective June 9, Senate Bill 245 allows for and sets standards around payroll cards.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided herein does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional legal, tax, accounting or other professional advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation and for your particular state(s) of operation.