Tag: news

Rhode Island joins states with ‘ban the box’ laws

by Timothy C. Cavazza Rhode Island’s new law prohibiting employers from asking on employment applications whether an applicant has ever been “convicted of a crime” takes effect on January 1. Despite the initial ban, employers are permitted to “ask an applicant for information about his or her criminal convictions at the first interview or thereafter, […]

Employers need to be ready for new California law on same-sex harassment

by Tara K. Clancy and Kristine W. Hanson A new California law means employees who file same-sex harassment cases should have an easier time getting relief from the courts. Senate Bill (SB) 292, which was signed into law in August and takes effect in January, means employees don’t have to have evidence that sexual desire […]

New Hawaii law imposes new pay stub, record-keeping requirements

by Paul Saito A new law designed to help the state quickly determine whether employers are paying workers properly goes into effect January 1. Under the new law, Hawaii employers will be required to provide employees with additional information on all pay stubs and payroll records and maintain payroll records on company premises. During each […]

New Oregon law gives employees bereavement leave

by Calvin Keith Oregon will become the first state in the nation to require employers to provide bereavement leave when House Bill 2950 takes effect January 1. The new law allows for bereavement leave under the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA). The law applies to any employer with 25 or more employees in Oregon. Any […]

San Francisco employers soon must consider flexible work requests

by Cathleen S. Yonahara San Francisco’s new Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance takes effect January 1, 2014, meaning covered private employers in the city must consider employees’ requests for flexible or predictable working arrangements to assist with their caregiving responsibilities. Employers that directly or indirectly employ at least 20 employees are covered. When calculating the number […]

Tech Training for All Generations

Generation Y workers, more astute in their technology skills than any prior age group, are forcing employers to reevaluate how they hire, train, and equip current and future workforces. These were the findings of a new study, Generational Research on Technology and its Impact in the Workplace, just released by CompTIA, the nonprofit association for […]

Highest minimum wage in nation likely for Washington, D.C.

The final vote hasn’t come yet, but on December 3, the D.C. Council unanimously voted to raise the minimum wage in Washington, D.C., to $11.50 per hour by 2016, well above the $7.25 federal minimum wage. Before the measure is finalized, the council must hold a final vote and send it to Mayor Vincent C. […]

Minnesota’s “ban the box” law takes effect January 1

by Richard R. Voelbel Minnesota’s new “ban the box” law takes effect January 1, meaning private employers will be prohibited from inquiring about a job candidate’s criminal background until after the candidate has been selected for an interview or has received a conditional offer of employment. Public employers already have been prohibited from including a […]

Survey Says: Companies Plan to Invest More in Training

In addition to the 51 percent listed above, 35 percent of surveyed executives at companies that are facing a skills shortage acknowledge that they have not made a big enough investment in training in the past. The “Accenture 2013 Skills and Employment Trends Survey: Perspectives on Training” (www.accenture.com/SkillsGap) confirmed that the skills gap remains a […]

Supreme Court agrees to hear ACA contraception coverage cases

Although the Affordable Care Act (ACA) overcame a large hurdle when the U.S. Supreme Court upheld its provisions (including the individual mandate) last year, the Court announced today that it would take another look at the law. This time, it will be reviewing another one of the law’s controversial mandates—the contraceptive mandate. Under the ACA, […]