As of March 12, 2024, New York employers are prohibited from requesting or obtaining access to the personal social media accounts of employees and applicants. Specifically, employers are not permitted to require employees or applicants to: (i) disclose their user
Employment Law Watch
Analysis and commentary by Reed Smith attorneys on developments in employment and labor law
Employment Law Watch, published by Reed Smith LLP, focuses on developments and issues in employment law affecting employers and employees. The blog covers topics such as noncompete agreements and their regulatory scrutiny, state-specific employment law changes including leave and break time regulations, labor relations including National Labor Relations Board policies, workplace privacy concerns like secret recordings, and compliance with local ordinances such as paid prenatal leave requirements. It addresses both federal and state legal updates, enforcement trends, and practical implications for workforce management and employer policies.
Latest from Employment Law Watch - Page 9
Texas federal court blocks enforcement of Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
On February 27, 2024, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas, Lubbock Division blocked enforcement of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) against the state of Texas and its divisions and agencies, finding passage of…
Between a rock and a hard place – not so much anymore?
If an employment relationship is to be terminated unilaterally, employers in Germany often find themselves between a rock and a hard place. The protection against Unfair Dismissal Act (Kündigungsschutzgesetz, KSchG), if applicable, sets high thresholds for validly terminating an employment…
NYC legislators propose three bills to curtail noncompete agreements
In the dynamic arena of labor laws and regulations, New York City is once again leading the charge with proposed changes that could have profound workplace implications. On February 28, 2024, the New York City Council introduced a trio of…
California’s new minimum wage for fast food restaurants took effect this month
California’s new law that creates a separate minimum wage applicable only to fast food restaurant employees took effect on April 1, 2024. Under Labor Code Section 1475 (LC 1475), this minimum wage is $20 per hour. It represents a significant…
Proposed California legislation may effectively ban criminal background checks
Widely known as “Ban the Box” laws, California is among the many jurisdictions that have adopted laws limiting the use of criminal background checks in evaluating job candidates. Enacted in 2018, California’s Fair Chance Act generally prohibits employers, with five…
No disciplinary action for sending private racist messages via the professional email system
The French Supreme Court ruled on March 6, 2024 (n°22-11.016), that an employer cannot terminate an employee who has sent racist and xenophobic messages to a colleague via the professional email system, if the messages were private.
Facts:
Due to…
Paternity leave changes on the horizon in the UK
Paternity leave has not been forgotten in the swathe of family related legislative changes taking effect in April 2024. However, anyone hoping for significant changes will be disappointed. The changes are limited to improving flexibility for eligible employees wanting to…
Virginia governor vetoes “salary history ban” statute legislation
On March 14, 2024, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) vetoed identical bills passed by the Virginia legislature barring employers from asking about a job applicant’s salary history and requiring pay information to be included in job listings.
Texas judge vacates NLRB’s new joint employer rule
In October 2023, the National Labor Relations Board issued a final rule that lowered the standard for companies to qualify as joint employers. You can read more about the rule here.
On March 8, 2024, a federal judge in…