Earlier this month, Oregon passed its own paid family and medical leave act (the act), making it the eighth state in the country to pass such a law. Oregon joins California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut and the District of Columbia in providing paid family and medical leave benefits to employees.
In contrast to other states, Oregon’s new law is particularly expansive. Among other things, the act broadly defines “family,” grants employees a generous amount of leave, and provides 100% paid leave to “low-income workers,” as defined by statute. The act also establishes the Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program to be administered by the Oregon Employment Department to help fund payroll contributions.
Eligibility and Leave Length
Under the new law, employers must provide their employees with a maximum of 12 weeks of paid leave to (i) care for a serious medical condition of the employee; (ii) care for a serious medical condition of the employee’s family member, which broadly includes any spouse, child, parent, domestic partner, grandparent or grandchild of the employee or any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association is the equivalent of a family relationship; (iii) care for or bonding with a newborn, adopted or foster child; or iv) deal with circumstances related to domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking.
In addition, employees may take up to four weeks of unpaid leave for which the employee may be eligible under the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) and up to two additional weeks of benefits for limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition.
Notably, leave taken under the act must be taken concurrently with any OFLA leave and with any leave taken under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Employees may also use vacation or sick time to supplement their weekly benefit amount, up to 100% of their wages. Continue Reading
Dallas has become the third city in Texas, following Austin and San Antonio, to pass a city ordinance requiring private-sector employers to offer paid sick leave to their employees. The ordinances have yet to be implemented in any of these cities. However, with the effective date of Dallas’ and San Antonio’s ordinances looming (and with Austin’s ordinance hanging in the balance of legal challenges), it is time for employers to take a hard look at the new requirements that may be imposed on them. 
Late on June 19, New York lawmakers passed a bill that makes wide-sweeping changes to New York State discrimination and harassment law. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has indicated that he will sign the bill, but he has not done so at this point. The bill implements changes related to the construction, definitions, proofs, affirmative defenses, policies and remedies related to discrimination and harassment.
Beginning in 2020, Nevada employers can no longer refuse to hire a job applicant for failing a preemployment marijuana screening test. The law, known as “AB132,” became effective on June 5 and is the first of its kind among the states. Although the law is limited in scope to drug screenings involving the presence of marijuana, it has broad implications for employers operating in Nevada (and potentially for employers in other states).
Colorado’s 2019 legislative session was busy, including producing a trio of new employment laws that tighten regulations on employers in the areas of pay equity, criminal history inquiries and wage theft. Employers face comprehensive changes and should review pay practices, application processes, advancement and promotion policies, and employee record-keeping to comply with these new laws. 
On June 11, Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., signed into law legislation that will require hotels that have 100 or more guest rooms to provide their housekeepers and room service employees with panic buttons effective January 2020. Panic buttons have gained widespread attention as a result of the #MeToo movement – the idea being that a housekeeper is isolated from other employees and an easy target for sexual harassment and assault. Recently several pieces of legislation have been introduced that would require the provision of the buttons. Some cities (such as Chicago and Seattle) have already passed similar measures, and some hotel chains have voluntarily agreed to provide panic buttons, regardless of local laws. Hotels in New Jersey will no longer have the choice, and failure to comply with the new law will result in fines. 
Colorado tightened its protections for pay equity when the state’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (the “Act”) was signed into law on May 22. The Act, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2021, provides protections more demanding than those of federal laws and results in changes that employers should immediately consider.
On May 28, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont signed 