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Keeping Up With State Labor Law Changes For 2020

Federal Minimum Wage

2019 was a busy year for poster updates with a number of labor law changes. 2020 is starting out to be just as busy. Sometimes it can be mind boggling trying to stay current with all the changes that happen. Here are a couple of issues that have been on the forefront of federal and state lawmaker’s agendas as well as the mindset of the everyday U.S. citizen. Whether you agree or disagree with all that is happening, it is always wise to be informed.

Minimum Wage

The last time the Federal Minimum wage changed was in 2009. Recently, there has been a push to raise the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour. Although the Department of Labor has not made the change for the Federal rate, many states have begun enacting their own yearly incremental plan that raises the minimum wage over the next several years until it reaches $15.00.

Along with states that see a wage adjustment each year based on the Consumer Price Index; 21 states will have a minimum wage increase for 2020. They are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Vermont, and Washington. Connecticut and Delaware had increases in October 2019. Some states currently have active pending measures that could see more increases in the coming months and some cities or counties have set their own standards for minimum wage.

Discrimination, Pregnancy Accommodation, Sexual Harassment and Paid Leave Are Hot Topics

Each year brings about new laws and regulations that supports greater protections for employees.  These changes will impact many businesses and their employees over the next year. Some state changes for 2020 include:

Discrimination – One of the most recent changes in California is the CROWN Act which prohibits employers from discriminating based upon “protective hairstyles,” defined as “braids, locks, and twists.” Other states have legislation measures in place now that will follow suit.

Pregnancy Accommodation – Beginning January 1, 2020, Oregon employees must provide additional employee protections related to pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition, including lactation. Other states have their own laws or have updated their laws to accommodate pregnant employees.

Sexual Harassment – Several states have implemented and continue to implement significantly new and expanded training requirements for Sexual Harassment Prevention. Connecticut recently enacted the Time’s Up Act, which among other changes, established new rules and requirements regarding sexual harassment training and education.

Paid Leave Benefits – Nevada has a new Mandatory Paid Leave law effective January 1, 2020. The new law (SB12) states, with limited exceptions and requirements “every employer in private employment with not less than 50 employees shall provide paid leave to each employee of the employer.” While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provide employees with unpaid time off, many states have proposed laws that provide paid leave for employees.

National Safety Compliance is committed to providing the tools and information businesses need to create safe, efficient and compliant workplaces. We constantly monitor each state for labor law changes to ensure up-to-date and accurate labor law posters are available for your posting needs.