On June 17, 2021, President Biden signed Senate Bill 475 declaring Juneteenth National Independence Day a federal holiday. Juneteenth commemorates when news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, about 2 1/2 years after the proclamation was first issued. The bill became effective immediately upon being signed. What it means for … Read more
The year that’s ending saw many developments in the laws and trends affecting employers. Most notable was the change in overtime rules, which will affect thousands of employers beginning in 2020. There were many other changes as well, including minimum wages increases and a ruling on the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Details appear below. … Read more
Recent news stories tell of a defense appropriations bill that includes a new benefit for federal workers: paid parental leave of up to twelve weeks on the birth, adoption, or fostering of a child. Paid parental leave has long been a goal of the federal workforce, and parental leave bills have been introduced before as … Read more
Labor laws set and mandate the relationship between an employer and their employees. Both federal and state governments within the United States have enacted employment laws to protect the rights, health, and financial remuneration of workers. A rule of thumb to follow is that federal laws tend to constitute a minimum level of employment regulation, … Read more
In the years since President Bill Clinton signed the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), several trends have emerged as employers, employees, and the courts have sought to interpret and apply the complex law. Some of these trends are outsourcing, abuse and measures to counter abuse, states’ taking steps to augment the act, and continued … Read more