Law and the Workplace

Tag Archives: Paid Leave

Employers, Are Your Leave Policies Ready to Ring in 2023?

With the arrival of the new year comes the effective date of many new leave laws (and expansion of existing leave laws) across the United States. Below we summarize family and sick leave laws that will take effect across various states in 2023. California California employers will see two main changes to leave laws in … Continue Reading

New York Extends Paid Leave for COVID Vaccinations for an Additional Year

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed into law a bill extending the State’s COVID vaccine paid leave law for an additional year, to December 31, 2023. As we previously reported, the law requires New York employers to provide employees with “a sufficient period of time, not to exceed four hours” of paid leave per … Continue Reading

Delaware Becomes Latest State to Institute Paid Family and Medical Leave

On May 10, 2022, Delaware Governor John Carey signed into law a bill that will require private employers with ten or more employees in Delaware to provide up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave beginning in January 2026, one year after payroll tax deductions to fund the program begin on January 1, … Continue Reading

Massachusetts Enacts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave

CoronovirusLast week, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed legislation providing for COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave for Massachusetts employees. Governor Baker vetoed an earlier version of the bill in April. The revised bill, signed into law on May 28, 2021, takes effect on Monday, June 7, 2021. Employees are eligible for COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave … Continue Reading

Election Season and the Workplace, Part 2: Political Leave Laws

With Election Day just around the corner, we are highlighting some of the issues facing employers in a series of posts on election-related issues. In our first installment, we looked at employee protections around political speech and activity both in and outside the workplace. In this second installment, we’ll examine employees’ rights to take time … Continue Reading

SDNY Decision Strikes Down Portions of DOL’s FFCRA Regulations

On August 3, Judge Paul Oetken of the Southern District of New York issued a decision invalidating various portions of the Department of Labor’s rules implementing the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The FFCRA is the federal law that provides emergency relief and support to employees who need to take leave from work … Continue Reading

Hearing Scheduled On Proposed Amendments to Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

On June 11, 2020, the Department of Family and Medical Leave (“DFML”) will hold a virtual public hearing on its recent proposed amendments to the final regulations pertaining to the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law (“PFML”) issued in June 2019.  (Instructions for registering for the virtual hearing are available at this link).  A … Continue Reading

Nevada Enacts Laws Regarding Paid Personal Leave, Drug Testing, and Minimum Wage

Continuing the trend of states passing increasingly progressive employment regulations, Nevada recently enacted three new laws addressing paid leave, workplace drug testing, and minimum wage. Paid Personal Leave Following in the footsteps of Maine, which recently became the first state to enact a personal leave law, SB 312 will require private employers with 50 or … Continue Reading

Final Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Regulations Published and Other PFML Updates

Leave of absence formThe Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (“DFML”) has posted the much-anticipated final regulations regarding Massachusetts’ Paid Family and Medical Leave law (“PFML”). The final regulations come on the heels of Massachusetts lawmakers’ recent extension of key PFML compliance dates. While the final regulations are materially unchanged from the previous draft issued March 29th, … Continue Reading

Connecticut to Enact Generous Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

Leave of absence formConnecticut is set to become the latest state to join the paid family and medical leave bandwagon, enacting what is set to be one of the most generous laws in the country.  The Act Concerning Paid Family and Medical Leave (the “Act”) was passed by both houses of the state legislature and is presently before Governor … Continue Reading

Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Deadlines Extended

With the original July 1, 2019 deadline for numerous provisions of the Commonwealth’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (“PFML”) legislation approaching in mere weeks, Massachusetts lawmakers have now issued a much-welcomed enforcement extension. The extensions comes as employers in the Commonwealth worked to comply with the new law.  The amended legislation, announced earlier this week … Continue Reading

Maine Becomes First State to Require Paid Leave for Any Reason

Leave of absence formMaine’s Governor Janet Mills has signed into law an Act Authorizing Earned Employee Leave (the “Act”), which will require covered employers to provide employees with up to 40 hours of paid personal leave per calendar year. Unlike other paid family and sick leave laws that have been enacted around the country, Maine’s law would be … Continue Reading

New Updates to Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave

Clock and calendar[UPDATE: On June 11, 2019, state officials issued a joint statement noting that the state has agreed to a three month postponement before companies will be assessed fees pursuant to the PFML, meaning the taxes will begin in October, 2019 rather than on July 1, 2019 as previously anticipated. In May, 2019, the Department of … Continue Reading

Massachusetts Releases Draft Regulations For Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

Leave of absence formOn January 23, 2019, Massachusetts released draft regulations on the Paid Family and Medical Leave (“PFML”) Law, signed into law last summer (as previously discussed here) and set to begin taking effect this upcoming July.  The Department of Family and Medical Leave released these draft regulations for public comment only, with the deadline for publication … Continue Reading

Massachusetts Governor Signs Minimum Wage, Family and Medical Leave Bill

Paying WagesOn June 28, 2018, Governor Charlie Baker signed “An Act Relative to Minimum Wage, Paid Family Medical Leave, and the Sales Tax Holiday” (HB 4640) into law. Last week, we covered three major changes the Act makes to Massachusetts law that employers should be aware of (available here). In short, the Act incrementally increases minimum … Continue Reading

Massachusetts Legislature Passes Compromise Bill Increasing Minimum Wage, Establishing Paid Family and Medical Leave

On June 20, 2018, the Massachusetts legislature passed House Bill 4640, “An Act Relative to Minimum Wage, Paid Family Medical Leave, and the Sales Tax Holiday.” The bill increases minimum wage, eliminates premium Sunday pay for retail workers, and establishes a state paid family and medical leave insurance program. The bill also creates an annual … Continue Reading

Duluth, Minnesota Enacts Paid Sick Leave Law

Leave of absence formDuluth, Minnesota has become the latest jurisdiction to enact a law providing eligible employees with paid leave for their own medical needs, those of a family member, or other covered reasons.  The Ordinance will take effect on January 1, 2020. The Ordinance will apply to employers with five or more employees nationwide.  Covered workers in … Continue Reading

Model Leave Request, Certification and Waiver Forms Issued for the New York Paid Family Leave Law

Leave of absence formWith the January 1, 2018 effective date for the New York Paid Family Leave Law fast approaching, the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board (“WCB”) has issued model paid family leave (“PFL”) request and certification forms, as well as a model waiver form. The forms are available on the WCB’s New York Paid Family Leave … Continue Reading

Guidance Issued on Taxability of Contributions and Benefits under New York Paid Family Leave Law

Leave of absence formThe New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has issued official guidance on several taxability issues relating to the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”), which goes into effect on January 1, 2018.  Among other details addressed, employee contributions under the PFLL shall be made on an after-tax basis, and benefits paid to … Continue Reading

Maximum Employee Contribution Rate Announced for New York State Paid Family Leave Law

Leave of absence formAs we recently reported, the New York Workers Compensation Board has issued revisions to its proposed rules for implementation of the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”). Subsequently, on June 1, 2017, the New York State Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) issued a statement setting forth the maximum employee contribution rate for PFLL coverage … Continue Reading

Revisions to Proposed Regulations for New York State Paid Family Leave Law Issued

Leave of absence formThe New York Workers Compensation Board has issued revisions to its proposed rules for implementation of the New York Paid Family Leave Law (“PFLL”). As we previously reported, the Board issued initial proposed rules for implementation of the PFLL in February 2017.  The current revisions, which were issued on May 24, 2017 following the Board’s … Continue Reading

D.C. Universal Paid Family Leave Bill Submitted To Congress, But Changes Are Still Possible

The D.C. Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 (the “Act”) has been submitted to Congress for a 30-legislative-day period of review. Presuming that the Act does not get overturned by Congress and the President, it is projected to become law on April 7, 2017. As we previously reported (here and here), the Act provides … Continue Reading
LexBlog

This website uses third party cookies, over which we have no control. To deactivate the use of third party advertising cookies, you should alter the settings in your browser.

OK