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Maryland Flexible Leave Act Expanded To Apply To Bereavement Leave

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
03/30/2021
Legislative Developments, State Law
The Maryland General Assembly has passed legislation expanding Maryland’s Flexible Leave Act (MFLA) to apply to bereavement leave.  The legislation now goes to Governor Hogan’s desk for signature. The MFLA has required that Maryland private sector employers with at least 15 employees who provide paid leave to their employees allow an employee to use earned paid leave to care for immediate family members (children, spouse, and parents) with an...
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D.C. Laws To Take Effect on Workplace Postings and Notices, and Sexual Harassment Training and Reporting

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
10/08/2020
Employer Training, Handbooks/Policies, Legislative Developments, Sexual Harassment, State Law
Before we get into the new requirements, some legislative history is warranted.  In 2018, the District of Columbia passed the Tipped Wage Workers Fairness Amendment Act, designed to, among other things, repeal an initiative that would have eliminated the tip credit system in D.C.  That 2018 law mandated local government funding before several provisions of the statute could be implemented that include the postings and sexual harassment training...
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Heads Up: New Maryland Employment Laws Take Effect October 1

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
09/08/2020
Legislative Developments, State Law
I hope everyone had an enjoyable and safe Labor Day weekend.  For many of us, it’s back to work.  And on that note, here is a rundown of several Maryland labor and employment laws set to go into effect October 1. Wage and Salary History Inquiries -- Employers will soon be prohibited from seeking an applicant’s wage history through an employee or agent or from a current or former employee, or relying on wage history, when screening or...
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Virginia General Assembly Passes Bill Authorizing Public Sector Collective Bargaining

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
03/09/2020
Legislative Developments, Public Sector Employment Law, Virginia Employment Law
As the 2020 Session came to a close this weekend, the Virginia General Assembly passed legislation authorizing  local governments to enact laws giving their employees the right to collectively bargain.  If, as expected, it is signed by Governor Northam, employees of Virginia counties, cities, towns and school boards will gain the opportunity to require their employing government to hold a vote on whether or not to enact collective bargaining...
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Maryland Legislature Considering New Payroll Tax To Fund Family and Medical Leave

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
02/21/2020
Disability & Leave, Legislative Developments, State Law
We wrote earlier this week about some of the bills working their way through the legislative process in Annapolis.  An item worthy of its own post is legislation that would create a Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program to provide wage replacement for employees taking leave from work: to care for a child during the first year after the child’s birth or after the placement of the child through foster care, kinship care, or adoption; ...
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Pending Legislation In Annapolis That May Affect Your Business

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
02/19/2020
Legislative Developments, State Law
The General Assembly is in full swing in Annapolis.  Here is a summary of just some of the legislation impacting employers and employees.  HB 123 / SB 217 - Wage History and Wage Range would require employers to provide the wage range of the position for which an applicant has applied if requested by the applicant.  The legislation also prohibits retaliation against applicants who do not provide wage history or seek the wage range for...
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Virginia General Assembly Passes Legislation Prohibiting Worker Misclassification

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
02/06/2020
Legislative Developments, Virginia Employment Law
The Virginia General Assembly is considering legislation that will create new civil penalties for employers who improperly classify workers as independent contractors instead of employees.  The two bills, H.B. 1407 and S.B 744, have been approved by the House and Senate. Once the two versions are reconciled, the legislation is expected to be signed by Governor Northam. Under the legislation, business who misclassify employees could be fined up...
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Maryland General Assembly Overrides Governor's Ban the Box Law Veto

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
01/31/2020
Legislative Developments
The Maryland General Assembly has overridden Governor Larry Hogan’s veto of ban the box legislation from last year’s legislative session.  Under the new law, which goes into effect February 29, 2020, employers are prohibited from asking applicants about their criminal histories until an in-person interview. Employer Rights And Responsibilities Employers with 15 or more full-time employees, including supervisors for those employers, may...
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Maryland's New Workplace Laws, Including Significant Changes To Maryland's Anti-Discrimination Law

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
10/03/2019
Employment Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, Legislative Developments, Restrictive Covenants, State Law
As of October 1, 2019, there are a series of new laws and/or amendments to existing laws that impact Maryland's workplaces and employers.  These include: Significant FEPA Amendments:  Maryland's anti-discrimination law, the Fair Employment Practices Act (FEPA), now includes independent contractors within the definition of employee entitled to FEPA's protections.  Further, while FEPA generally applies to Maryland employers who have at least...
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New California Law Adds Protected Status Based On Hairstyle

Kollman & Saucier
Kollman & Saucier
07/08/2019
Legislative Developments, Race Discrimination, Reasonable Accommodations/Undue Burden
This past week marked not only the anniversary of our Independence Day, but also the 55th anniversary of the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Amidst this well-deserved fanfare, California became the first state to make hairstyle a protected status under its state anti-discrimination law, the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Presently, employers who take actions based on an individual’s headwear, when worn for religious reasons...
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