Brian W. Steinbach

Firm/Organization: Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Blogs: Health Employment and Labor, Hospitality Labor and Employment Law, Retail Labor and Employment Law, Technology Employment Law, Wage and Hour Defense Blog

Latest Articles

Wage and Hour Defense Blog

Maryland General Assembly Overrides Veto to Enact Bill Increasing Minimum Wage to $15

By Brian W. Steinbach

March 29, 2019

On March 22, 2019, we wrote that the two houses of the Maryland General Assembly had agreed on a conference report adopting the Senate’s version of a bill that would increase the state-wide minimum wage to $15 by 2025 or 2026, depending on the size of the company, with two minor changes. We also discussed the bill on March 18, 2019. As we predicted, Governor Hogan vetoed the bill on March 27, but the General…

Wage and Hour Defense Blog

Maryland General Assembly Passes Minimum Wage Increase to $15

By Brian W. Steinbach

March 22, 2019

On March 18, 2019, we wrote that both houses of the Maryland Assembly had passed bills that would increase the state-wide minimum wage to $15 by 2025 or 2028, depending on the size of the company, but that the House and the Senate still had to work out their differences. The two chambers acted quickly and on March 20, 2019 (Senate) and March 21, 2019 (House) adopted a conference report that…

Wage and Hour Defense Blog

Maryland Poised to Increase Minimum Wage to $15

By Brian W. Steinbach

March 18, 2019

Maryland appears poised to increase its minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next few years, joining California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and various local jurisdictions, including its own Montgomery County and neighboring District of Columbia. On March 14, 2019, the Maryland Senate approved a bill (SB 280) that would increase the state-wide minimum wage for companies with at least 14 employees from $10.10 to $15 by January 1, 2025,…

Wage and Hour Defense Blog

D.C. Council Gives Initial Approval to Legislation Overturning Voter-Approved Elimination of Tip Credit

By Brian W. Steinbach

October 4, 2018

In our July 9, 2018 post we reported that a seven-member majority of the D.C. Council had introduced a bill, Bill 22-0913 (Tipped Wage Workers Fairness Amendment Act of 2018) to repeal Initiative 77, an initiative that District of Columbia voters approved on June 27, 2018 that would incrementally increase the minimum cash wage for tipped workers to $15.00 per hour by July 1, 2025 and effectively eliminate the tip credit starting…

Health Employment and Labor

DOL Issues Guidance for Determining Whether Registries are Employers of Home Caregivers in the “Gig Economy”

By Brian W. Steinbach & Nathaniel M. Glasser

July 20, 2018

Health care registry companies provide families and their loved ones with peace of mind by providing matchmaking and referral services for qualified, pre-screened and vetted home caregivers. They often also provide administrative services. As part of the “gig economy,” health care registries often tread a fine line in classifying caregivers as independent contractors rather than employees. A new Field Assistance Bulletin (“Bulletin”), “Determining Whether Nurse or Caregiver Registries are Employers of the Caregiver,”…

Wage and Hour Defense Blog

Proposed D.C. Council Legislation Puts Voter-Approved Elimination of Tip Credit Into Question

By Brian W. Steinbach

July 16, 2018

In our June 28, 2018 post on District of Columbia voters approving Initiative 77, which would incrementally increase the minimum cash wage for tipped workers to $15.00 per hour by July 1, 2025, and effectively eliminate the tip credit staring July 1, 2026, we noted the possibility of action by the D.C. Council to amend or overturn it. Consistent with the opposition to the initiative previously expressed by a majority of the Council, on…

Wage and Hour Defense Blog

District of Columbia Voters Approve Eliminating Tip Credit, but Final Result Remains Uncertain

By Brian W. Steinbach

June 28, 2018

Voters in the District of Columbia on June 19, 2018 approved an initiative (Initiative 77) that would incrementally increase the minimum cash wage for tipped workers to $15.00 per hour by July 1, 2025, and starting July 1, 2026 to the same amount as the then-minimum wage for all other workers, effectively eliminating the tip credit. If the initiative takes effect, the District would join seven states that do not have a separate…

Health Employment and Labor

Maryland Sick and Safe Leave Bill to Take Effect After Veto Override

By Brian W. Steinbach

January 16, 2018

On January 12, 2018, the Maryland General Assembly completed its expected override of Governor Hogan’s May 25, 2017, veto of a bill it passed last April, joining eight other states, the District of Columbia, and various local jurisdictions (including Montgomery County, Maryland) already requiring employers to provide paid sick and safe leave. As we reported when the bill originally passed, the new law will require most employers with at least 15 employees to provide up…

Wage and Hour Defense Blog

Maryland’s Montgomery County Joins Jurisdictions Increasing Minimum Wage to $15.00

By Brian W. Steinbach

November 9, 2017

Montgomery County, Maryland, where the minimum wage already is $11.50, is set to join two states (California and New York), the neighboring District of Columbia and at least six local jurisdictions (Flagstaff (Arizona), Los Angeles, Minneapolis, San Francisco, San Jose, SeaTac and Seattle) that have enacted legislation increasing the minimum wage for some or all private sector employees to $15 over the next several years. On November 7, 2017 the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed…

Wage and Hour Defense Blog

Tenth Circuit Rules Tips Belong to the Employer If Tip Credit Is Not Taken

By Brian W. Steinbach

July 6, 2017

When an employer pays the minimum wage (or more) instead of taking the tip credit, who owns any tips – the employer or the employee? In Marlow v. The New Food Guy, Inc., No. 16-1134 (10th Cir. June 30, 2017), the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit held they belong to the employer, who presumably can then either keep them or distribute them in whole or part to employees as it…

Brian W. Steinbach

Maryland General Assembly Overrides Veto to Enact Bill Increasing Minimum Wage to $15

Maryland General Assembly Passes Minimum Wage Increase to $15

Maryland Poised to Increase Minimum Wage to $15

D.C. Council Gives Initial Approval to Legislation Overturning Voter-Approved Elimination of Tip Credit

DOL Issues Guidance for Determining Whether Registries are Employers of Home Caregivers in the “Gig Economy”

Proposed D.C. Council Legislation Puts Voter-Approved Elimination of Tip Credit Into Question

District of Columbia Voters Approve Eliminating Tip Credit, but Final Result Remains Uncertain

Maryland Sick and Safe Leave Bill to Take Effect After Veto Override

Maryland’s Montgomery County Joins Jurisdictions Increasing Minimum Wage to $15.00

Tenth Circuit Rules Tips Belong to the Employer If Tip Credit Is Not Taken

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