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Employee Rights State Labor Laws Employment Discrimination

Most countries provide some degree of workplace protection for employees and job applicants. Depending on the jurisdiction, these protections generally include safety precautions and policies, anti-discrimination... more +
Most countries provide some degree of workplace protection for employees and job applicants. Depending on the jurisdiction, these protections generally include safety precautions and policies, anti-discrimination policies, collective bargaining and unionizing rights, meal and rest requirements, minimum wage rules, and medical and family leave rights to name a few. In the United States, the federal framework for employee rights stem from statutes such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In addition, employee rights statutes are implemented and enforced by regulatory authorities such as the EEOC, NLRB, OSHA, and the Department of Labor. Further, many state and local governments provide additional and localized protections for employees that are enforced by local regulatory entities. less -
Jackson Lewis P.C.

Rhode Island First in Nation to Require Accommodation of Employee’s Menopause, Effective Immediately

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Rhode Island is the first state to expressly require employers to provide workplace accommodations for job applicants and employees who are experiencing menopause and menopause-related medical conditions. This requirement...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Massachusetts Makarevich: ‘Understandable’ Separation Agreement Language Aids Employer in Unpaid Wages Case

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In Makarevich v. USI Ins. Services, LLC, a Massachusetts federal district court judge dismissed a former employee’s claims of discrimination and unpaid wages under the Massachusetts Wage Act, concluding that she had knowingly...more

Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP

Rhode Island's New Menopause Accommodation Law: Key Employer Insights

On June 24, 2025, Rhode Island became the first state to require reasonable accommodation for menopause-related conditions. The Rhode Island legislature amended the state’s Fair Employment Practices Act’s requirement that...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Rhode Island Bars Workplace Discrimination Based on Menopause Symptoms

On June 24, 2025, Rhode Island enacted a law barring employers from discriminating against workers because of their menopause symptoms. The law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for workers experiencing...more

Foster Garvey PC

2025 Legislative Developments Affecting Washington Employers

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Washington employers face a wave of new workplace legislation, some of which recently became effective and some that will begin in 2026 and beyond. These new or modified laws address a broad range of topics, many of which...more

Amundsen Davis LLC

National State Employment Law Update Covering the First Six Months of 2025

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2025 is halfway over, and already, there has been significant activity and legal developments throughout the U.S. on the state and local level.  Below is a recap of notable laws enacted throughout the U.S. that have become...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

California Construction Employers May Rely On Legal Exemption To Drug Test for Marijuana

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California’s AB 2188 greatly expanded the scope of the state’s existing marijuana laws because it prohibits discrimination based on the off-duty use of marijuana. This prohibition creates a dilemma for employers who conduct...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Building an Exemption: California Construction Employers Allowed to Drug Test for Marijuana

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California prohibits employers from discriminating against employees because of off-duty use of marijuana, with some exemptions. One exemption is for “the building and construction trades.” California’s AB 2188 greatly...more

Proskauer - California Employment Law

Unsuccessful Whistleblower Was Not Entitled To Recover Attorney’s Fees

Lampkin v. County of Los Angeles, 2025 WL 1874669 (Cal. Ct. App. 2025) - D’Andre Lampkin, a deputy in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, investigated a man whom he believed was soliciting a prostitute. (In...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Refresher on California’s CROWN Act

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In 2019, California became the first state to pass the CROWN Act—short for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. This legislation prohibits discrimination based on natural hair textures and protective...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

Tennessee Attorney General’s Office Launches New Civil Rights Enforcement Division: What Employers Need to Know

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On July 1, 2025, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced the launch of the Civil Rights Enforcement Division (CRED), a newly established unit within the Attorney General’s Office. This significant structural...more

Littler

Rhode Island Becomes First State to Mandate Workplace Accommodations for Menopause

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On June 24, 2025, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed into law House Bill No. 6161, making Rhode Island the first state in the nation to expressly require employers to provide workplace accommodations for applicants and...more

Littler

News of an Employee’s Arrest or Pending Criminal Charges Poses a Dilemma for California Employers

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Every day, the press reports on arrests for one reason or another in California and other states. Many of those arrested have jobs. In turn, the employers of the arrestees in California are confronted with a dilemma: on the...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

NJ Appellate Court Reaffirms Employees’ Right to Bring LAD Claims in Court

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The New Jersey Appellate Division recently issued an important decision clarifying how claims brought under the Law Against Discrimination (LAD) interact with agency proceedings in employment matters. Specifically, it made...more

Morgan, Brown & Joy, LLP

Recent Amendments to Rhode Island Employment Laws Require Employer Action

The Rhode Island General Assembly recently enacted several amendments to existing employment laws that will impact employers immediately and into 2026. These changes include expanded anti-discrimination protections, new...more

Cozen O'Connor

Broad Street Brief: HBSE, Comcast Acquire Market East Properties

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Mayor Parker Strikes Deal with DC 33 - Trash collectors and other frontline City workers will return to work after the Parker administration reached a deal with AFSCME District Council 33 early Wednesday morning. The...more

Littler

Puerto Rico Prohibits Discrimination Against Breastfeeding Mothers in the Workplace

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Puerto Rico Governor Jeniffer González has signed Act No. 29-2025 into law, modifying the Act to Regulate the Breastfeeding or Breast Milk Extraction Period, as amended (“Act 427-2000”), which provides certain nursing...more

Fisher Phillips

End of NY Legislative Session Leaves Employers Watching Key Workplace Bills

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New York’s two-year 2025-2026 legislative session hit its midpoint in June, with lawmakers wrapping up the first year by passing a slew of workplace-related bills that now await action from Governor Hochul. As federal labor...more

Littler

Colorado Amends its Anti-Discrimination Law, Adding New Protections for Transgender Employees and Disabled Persons in Places of...

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In the 2025 legislative session, Colorado lawmakers enacted two laws that amend the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) in distinct and material ways. The first, HB25-1312, clarifies CADA’s prohibition on gender...more

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP

California Bill Would Limit Use of AI and Personality Testing in Workplace

California often acts as the nation’s laboratory for employment laws that are eventually adopted by other states or even the federal government. Earlier this month, the California Senate passed a measure that would sharply...more

Sands Anderson PC

2025 Pocket Guide Virginia Employment Law

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The following sections summarize key Virginia employment statutes and principles of employment law. The summaries are not intended to be a comprehensive analysis of the laws and/or their judicial interpretations. The...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Where Are We Now With the Use of AI in the Workplace?

As we previously reported, employers must navigate a rapidly evolving legal landscape as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform the modern workplace. From federal rollbacks to aggressive state-level regulation,...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

California’s No Robo Bosses Bill Could Restrict Employers’ Use of AI

On June 2, 2025, the California Senate approved a bill, called the “No Robo Bosses Act,” that would restrict when and how employers can use automated decision-making systems and artificial intelligence (AI) to make...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Washington State Employment Law: Key Legislative Changes Effective July–September 2025

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Washington State continues to lead in progressive employment legislation with a number of new laws set to take effect in the coming months. These changes span a wide range of employment issues — from wage transparency and...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

The feds may be backing down on LGBTQ protections, but should employers?

Don't overreact. (Or underreact.) This June, as corporations continue to roll back public support and funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, it is important for employers to be familiar with the current...more

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