On October 23, 2024, legislation was introduced in the New York City Council that would amend the New York City Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (ESSTA) to allow employees to use sick leave to care for pets and service
Employment Law Watch
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Unionization activity continues to surge in the U.S.
Recent years have shown a continued increase in unionization and organization activities within the American workforce, as measured by union representation petition filings with the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB).
The NLRB confirmed this upward trend at the close of…
New York paid prenatal leave to go into effect on January 1, 2025
On January 1, 2025, an amendment to New York Labor Law section 196-b, the state’s paid sick leave law, will go into effect. The amendment requires New York employers to provide employees with 20 hours of paid prenatal leave during…
The non-compete agreement showdown: After the FTC’s final rule setback, the NLRB gears up to tackle non-compete agreements
As employers continue to monitor the legal challenges against the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) final rule banning most non-compete agreements, they should not overlook similar efforts by other federal agencies and/or state legislatures to limit and/or prohibit the use and…
Key compliance dates for Massachusetts employers
Massachusetts lawmakers had a busy 2024 and have ushered in several new measures to take effect in the coming months. As Massachusetts employers close out 2024 and look toward the new year, they should keep the following key dates in…
California employment law legislative update: What employers need to know for 2025
Now that Governor Gavin Newsom’s September 30th deadline to approve or veto legislative bills has passed, California employers can begin preparing for the new laws that will affect their workplaces next year. The recent legislative session has yielded strengthened protections…
California adopts intersectionality into anti-discrimination laws
On September 27, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1137 into law, clarifying that discrimination can happen based on an intersection or combination of protected characteristics. Specifically, SB 1137 amended the Unruh Civil Rights Act, the Education…
New duty to prevent sexual harassment: 12 things UK employers need to know
The Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 comes into force on 26 October 2024, introducing a new duty for employers to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment at work. Accompanied by technical guidance issued by the…
Rolling out new rights: Pittsburgh’s bold move on medical marijuana in the workplace
Since Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana in 2016, employers navigated the murky waters of drug testing applicants and employees who hold medical marijuana cards amid a lack of clarity in the law regarding these issues.
On September 24, 2024, a new…
Transition arrangements for a change in unfair dismissal qualification
The government’s plans for unfair dismissal to become a day-one right (subject to reasonable use of probationary periods) create an uncertain time for employers, particularly those currently taking on new hires or entering into fixed term contracts. While we await…