Archive for August 2017

Obama Asks the Department of Labor to Update Salary Threshold In 2014 then-President Obama directed the Secretary of Labor to update the overtime regulations. Specifically President Obama was concerned about the current salary threshold of $455 a week ($23,660 each year). That salary threshold had not been increased for a decade since 2004. In July…

FLSA Overtime Rules Makeover Just one month ago, the Department of Labor (DOL) demonstrated that the Overtime Rule of 2016 may be suspended, but isn’t dead. On July 26, 2017 the DOL published a Request for Information (RFI). An RFI is the first step that the DOL must take in order to revise the existing rules…

Employment laws Update throughout the State As several employment laws took effect across the country, California’s Department of Fair Employment and several city ordinances also updated. It is vital for employers in California or with employees located in the state to be aware of these changes. Secure Scheduling Laws in Emeryville Food Service and retail…

Communication Leaves Employer in Court over FMLA Lawsuit The only thing that was needed to keep FX Direct out of an employment dispute and the ensuing lawsuit was adequate communication and notifications. The employer’s handbook contained two separate sections. One section referred to 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave Act leave and another section titled…

Logrolling is Considered Voter Fraud. Logrolling, a practice of combining separate laws into one bill so that unfavorable laws can get passed, is the subject of two legal contentions. In both the State of Arizona and the City of Albuquerque, business groups and the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry have challenged ballot bills due…

Final Regulations for Paid Family Leave The New York Workers Compensation Board (the Board) has released the final rules for the upcoming New York Paid Family Leave Law that started in 2018. The new rules are effective immediately and made some changes to the proposed regulations that were released in May. Employee Payroll Deductions can…

Montgomery County Looked at Increased Minimum wage in 2017. In January, Montgomery County proposed an increase to a $15 minimum wage. Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett vetoed the legislation citing concerns over what the higher minimum wage would do for jobs in the county. He was concerned that it would make Montgomery County less competitive…

Albuquerque voters sign a petition to have Healthy Workforce Ordinance up for a vote. Through a petition, the Albuquerque voters requested that a sick leave ordinance be placed on the ballot. Initially, the petition was turned in and advocates of the sick leave measure hoped that it would go to the booth in the November…

Albuquerque employers have come out in strong opposition to the proposed sick leave ordinance that is going to voters in October. Named the Healthy Workforce Ordinance, if approved in the elections, the ordinance would immediately become law. Written without input from local businesses, the proposed law carries a large cost and heavy burden for employers.…