Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee, signed into law Substitute Senate Bill 5975 (S5975), which creates the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program effective January 1, 2020. The Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) has launched a new website to provide guidance to employers, workers and healthcare providers on the new paid family and medical leave insurance program.

The Philadelphia City Council has passed the Philadelphia Fair Workweek Employment Standards Ordinance, intended to regulate scheduling practices for Philadelphia employers in the hospitality, retail and food services industries. Mayor Jim Kenney (D) signed the Ordinance on December 20, 2018.

In September 2018, the Michigan legislature adopted as law a proposed ballot measure that would require employers to provide their employees paid leave to be used for “sick” and “safe” time purposes, and other reasons. The law has been amended. The law, now known as the Paid Medical Leave Act, requires covered employers to provide up to 40 hours of paid medical leave per year to eligible employees.

The Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposal on a new federal overtime rule to determine the salary level for “white collar” exemptions — executive, administrative and professional employees — is expected in early 2019.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, many states have amplified their sexual harassment prevention efforts, some of which require employee training. Here, we answer Frequently Asked Questions about sexual harassment training.