October 2016
None
September 2016
None
August 2016
None
July 2016
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June 2016
June 7 – Philadelphia’s Mayor signed an ordinance prohibiting employer from using credit history in employment decisions.
On June 7, 2016, Philadelphia’s Mayor signed an ordinance ammending the cities “Fair Practices Ordinance” to add a section prohibiting employers from obtaining or using credit-related information regarding employees and job applicants in certain circumstances and under certain terms and conditions. The ordinance also prohibits employers from requesting employees provide such information or requiring employees consent to the acquisition of it.
The ordinance goes into effect on July 7, 2016.
For more information, read Philadelphia Bill No. 160072.
May 2016
None
April 2016
April 17 – Governor Wolf signed a medical marijuana law with provisions specifically for employers and the workplace
On April 17, 2016, Governor Wolf signed a law permitting the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The law also outlines how the new law applies to the workplace. The new law prohibits employer from disciplining or other penalizing employees because they have a prescription to use and do use marijuana consistent with that prescription.
The law does permit employers to prohibit employees who lawfully use marijuana for medical purposes from performing any life-threatening tasks or tasks that could result in public health or safety risks while under the influence of marijuana. The new law does not specifically require employers to facilitate an employee’s use of medical marijuana or prohibit an employer from disciplining an employee for performance problems associated with being under the influence of marijuana while at work. Other restriction and limitations apply.
The new law goes into effect on May 17, 2016.
For more information, read Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3.
March 2016
March 14 – Philadelphia’s “ban the box” ordinance expands to all employersOn March 14, 2016, Philadelphia’s “ban the box” ordinance expands to all employers who have employees in the city. Under the ban-the-box ordinance, employers are prohibited from having any inquiries on applications about applicants criminal history. It also prohibits employers from refusing to hire an individual with a criminal history, unless the criminal offense is of such a nature that the employer could reasonably conclude that it would present an unacceptable risk to the employer. The ordinance has other restrictions and limitations. Previously, the ordinance only applied to employers with 10 or more employees; however, on December 10, 2015, the ordinance was amended to include all employers.
For more information, read Philadelphia Fair Criminal Records Screening Standards
February 2016
None
January 2016
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