MID-YEAR LABOR LAW CHANGES
Keeping up with labor laws can be a daunting task. Changes seem to occur almost daily. And while this isn’t actually the case, it can sure feel that way. Changes to federal labor laws do not happen quite as frequent as those at the state level as a general rule. But in times of uncertainty, as we experienced with Covid in 2020, even federal labor laws can be enacted quickly as we saw with the passing of the CARES Act. The laws created by the CARES Act were of a temporary nature with many of the requirements ending in December of 2020. Most changes to labor laws are not temporary though. We find states often update various laws throughout the year. Some of those changes are considered minor such as address changes, website address changes, or department personnel changes. Other changes are considered major such as increases in minimum wages, newly enacted laws, and major changes to the text of an existing law.
Midyear often brings about many of those changes. The most common change is a state’s Minimum Wage. Although the Federal Minimum Wage has not increased since July 2009, many states, cities, and counties have a higher minimum wage. (Employers are required to pay workers the higher amount.)
The following states have mid-year minimum wage increases:
- Connecticut: $13/hr. effective August 1, 2021
- District of Columbia: $15.20/hr. effective July 1, 2021
- Florida: $10/hr. effective September 30, 2021
- Nevada: Minimum Wage and Daily Overtime Bulletin
- For Employees offering qualified health insurance benefits: $8.75/hr. effective July 1, 2021. The daily overtime wage will increase to $13.125 per hour.
- For Employers that do not offer qualified health insurance benefits: $9.75/hr. effective July 1, 2021. The daily overtime wage will increase to $14.625 per hour.
- Oregon: $12.75/hr. effective July 1, 2021
- Pennsylvania: $12/hr.
- Virginia: $9.50/hr. effective May 1, 2021
Additional changes to many state laws have also taken place and include:
- Safety and Health Protection on the Job: Address change
- Workers’ Comp Works for You: website change for reporting suspected insurance fraud online.
- Your Rights Under Illinois Employment Laws: address change
- Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act: added victims of gender violence to protected groups.
- Earned Income Credit: 2021 income limits for earned income tax credit updated.
- Fair Employment: Statutory purpose updated.
- Paid Sick Time: Clarifies that paid sick time also covers bereavement, parental leave and leave to care for a child whose school is closed for a public health emergency.
- Family Leave Act: Allows leave to take care for a child whose school is closed for public health emergency.
- Equal Pay Act: Illegal for an employer to pay an employee less than someone else based on pay history.
Virginia: Email and phone number changes
- Virginia Human Rights Act
- Low Income Credit
To keep up with the most current changes to the federal labor laws as well as your state labor laws you can sign up for a free email update service. Simply click here to enroll: https://www.nsccompliance.net/llp-updates/