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Nevada Increases Minimum Wage

June 27, 2019

Hourly Rate to Reach $11 or $12 by 2024, Depending on Health Benefits Offered Nevada has adopted a law that will increase its minimum wage rate to $12 per hour by 2024. The schedule below indicates the gradual increases that will lead to this new minimum wage rate, which begin on July 1, 2020. The …

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Alabama Enacts Law to Reduce Wage Gaps, Bar Salary History Requirements

June 26, 2019

New law becomes effective Sept. 1, 2019 Alabama has adopted a new law that prohibits employers from discriminating against job applicants who fail to provide a salary history. The new law also prohibits employers from paying a different wage to employees based on their sex or race when they perform similar work, unless the difference …

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Connecticut’s Minimum Wage Rate Will Increase to $15 by 2023

June 21, 2019

First Wage Increase Will be on Oct. 1, 2019 Connecticut has adopted a schedule to gradually increase the state’s minimum wage rate to $15 per hour by 2023. Because the law implements these changes over the next 5 years, the law also includes a provision that enables the state to adjust the increase schedule during …

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Oregon Extends Anti-Discrimination Protections

June 21, 2019

New law becomes operative on October 1, 2020 On June 11, 2019, Oregon adopted a new law that will: Require employers to adopt a written policy to prevent discrimination and sexual assault; and Prohibit employers from requiring employees or job applicants to sign agreements that prevent discussing or disclosing conduct that would be considered discrimination …

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Massachusetts Delays Paid Family and Medical Leave

June 20, 2019

Employers must begin collecting contributions on Oct. 1, 2019. Massachusetts has officially delayed by 3 months the implementation of the states paid family and medical leave law. Under the new law, employers must begin withholding contributions from employee earnings to fund this employee benefit on Oct. 1, 2019, instead of July 1, 2019. Similarly, employers …

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Colorado Limits Criminal History Inquiries

June 19, 2019

Job Postings and Applications may not Exclude Applicants with Criminal Histories Effective Sept. 1, 2019, job postings, advertisements, and application forms from Colorado private employers with 11 or more employees may not include language saying that individuals with criminal histories may not apply. This requirement becomes effective for all Colorado employers on Sept. 1, 2021. …

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Final Rule Allows HRAs that Reimburse Individual Health Premiums

June 17, 2019

Change to Take Effect for 2020 Plan Years A new final rule lets all employers offer health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) to pay for employees’ individual health insurance policy premiums, if certain conditions are met. Currently, many employers are prohibited from offering such HRAs. The rule was released by the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and …

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HIPAA Enforcement Guidance Issued for Business Associates

June 13, 2019

New HHS Fact Sheet Addresses Direct Liability The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a fact sheet explaining when a business associate can be directly liable for compliance with the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach Notification, and Enforcement Rules. The fact sheet states that OCR is authorized …

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Colorado Extends Smoking Prohibitions to Electronic Products

June 12, 2019

New Law Becomes Effective July 1, 2019. Colorado has amended its workplace smoking prohibition to include a ban on electronic smoking devices, effective July 1. The amendments also repeal the exception for employers whose establishments are not open to the public and employ no more than 3 people and clarify that smoking restrictions apply to …

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