Popular, New Legislation, Employment Policies

2025 Legislative Developments Affecting Washington Employers

Foster Garvey PC on 7/31/2025

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

Texas Employers Should Prepare for Uptick in Cannabis Use and Accommodation Requests as State Expands Medical Marijuana Law

Fisher Phillips on 7/17/2025

You may be surprised to learn that Texas permits the use of low-THC medical marijuana to treat certain health conditions – and a new law will significantly expand the program starting September 1. In addition to changing the...more

End of NY Legislative Session Leaves Employers Watching Key Workplace Bills

Fisher Phillips on 7/3/2025

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

Employer Cheat Sheet for Workplace Laws Taking Effect July 1

Fisher Phillips on 6/24/2025

Most employers are prepared for new laws at the start of each year – but did you know that a heap of new workplace laws take effect at the halfway point? Here’s your employer cheat sheet to prepare for July 1 effective dates…...more

Deepfakes and Digital Harassment: What Employers Need to Know in 2025

Littler on 6/16/2025

The landscape of workplace harassment has evolved beyond physical offices, after-hours texts and off-site events. Employers now face a sophisticated and deeply unsettling threat: deepfake technology. Once the domain of tech...more

July is Still the New January! Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute’s Mid-Year Legislative Report

Littler on 6/21/2024

Hot off the press – here is Littler’s mid-year report! As federal regulators, states and cities continue to pass new workplace regulations through the calendar year, we summarize each state’s notable labor and employment law...more

New Year, New Changes for California Employers in 2024

Epstein Becker & Green on 12/26/2023

As 2024 quickly approaches, so, too, do many new obligations and restrictions for employers with California employees. Below, we summarize significant changes to hiring and workforce management, litigation, wage and hour,...more

New Year Brings New Laws for Illinois Employers

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP on 12/13/2022

The New Year will usher in several new Illinois employment laws. These laws cover a myriad of topics and will require revisions to employee handbooks and general employment policies....more

[Webinar] Lunch and Learn Series: New Employment Laws and Regulations Regarding Marijuana in the Workplace - November 10th, 12:00...

Rivkin Radler LLP on 10/21/2022

Please join us for the November Lunch and Learn as Rivkin Radler Partners John Diviney and Tamika Hardy discuss the following topics: - New State laws – New York Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, New York Labor Law...more

Attention Portland Employers: Updates on Mask Mandate, Hazard Pay

Verrill on 1/6/2022

On Monday, Portland City Councilors took two significant actions that affect employers in Portland, Maine. First, the Council repealed an emergency order from March 2020, eliminating the hazard pay provision set forth in the...more

New Year Brings New Laws for New York Employers: 2021 Recap and 2022 Preview

Fisher Phillips on 12/29/2021

Year two of the COVID-19 pandemic brought many new legislative changes for New York employers, altering the landscape around workplace safety, employee pay, leave benefits, protected classes and activity, and privacy. Now...more

California Attempts to Weed Out Unfair Labor Practices at the State Level by Enacting Union-Friendly Regulation on Employers in...

FordHarrison on 11/18/2019

As the cannabis industry has rapidly progressed over the years, states such as New York, New Jersey and Illinois have begun to implement legislation that encourages employers to engage in labor peace agreements with unions....more

Texas’ Expansion of Medical Marijuana May Impact Employers

Cozen O'Connor on 9/5/2019

Texas has largely avoided the wave of marijuana legalization sweeping the country and the accompanying legal complications that have come along for the ride. Those days may be numbered as the Texas Legislature recently passed...more

Illinois' New Recreational Marijuana Law Creates New Hurdles for Employers with Zero Tolerance Policies

Stinson LLP on 8/28/2019

With the passage of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act in June, Illinois became the 11th state in the country to legalize the recreational use of marijuana....more

Maine Employees Now Protected From Repercussions Of Off-Duty Marijuana Use

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on 2/2/2018

Seyfarth Synopsis: On November 8, 2016, Maine voters approved “Question 1 – An Act to Legalize Marijuana” (“the Act”), which allows for, among other things, the recreational use of marijuana. The Act contains within it an...more

Maine Employers Must Ignore Off-Work Marijuana Use, Cease Testing Applicants

Littler on 1/30/2018

On February 1, 2018, Maine will become the first jurisdiction in the nation to protect workers from adverse employment action based on their use of marijuana and marijuana products, provided the use occurs away from the...more

“But My Doctor Said It Was Cool”: Florida’s New Medical Marijuana Bill and Employment Considerations

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP on 8/3/2017

Last month, Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed into law a medical marijuana use bill. This was the result of the overwhelming vote (71 percent) in favor of amending the Florida Constitution to allow medical marijuana use as...more

Florida Enacts Law to Implement Provisions of its Medical Marijuana Amendment, but Significant Questions Remain for Employers

FordHarrison on 7/3/2017

Recently, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law a bill intended to implement provisions of the medical marijuana constitutional amendment that was approved by Florida voters last November (Amendment 2). The new law...more

Medical Marijuana and the Workplace

Akerman LLP - HR Defense on 1/11/2017

With the growing list of states legalizing marijuana, are workplace drug policies up in smoke? As the new year begins, Arkansas, Florida and North Dakota join the growing list of states that have legalized medical marijuana....more

Illinois Increases Protected Leaves for Employees

Littler on 9/2/2016

Just two months after Chicago became the second city in the Midwest to require employers to provide paid sick leave, Illinois has enacted three laws that entitle employees to additional protected leaves. The Child...more

Ohio Becomes the Latest State to Legalize Marijuana for Certain Medical Uses While Avoiding Constitutional Ballot Initiatives

Littler on 6/13/2016

Last year, Ohio legislators found themselves caught in the middle of a media firestorm created by various pro-legalized marijuana groups who were politically savvy and financially funded enough to place multiple proposed...more

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