Regulations Listing: Engaging Employees

Last summer, Prime Minister David Cameron vowed to take action to end the gender pay gap that exists between working men and women in the UK.

On May 18, 2016 the Department of Labor (DOL) announced its final rule regarding overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

On May 17, 2016, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) took steps to clarify what had been viewed by many as a conflict between the Americas with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as they relate to employer-sponsored wellness programs.

In May of 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a final rule requiring effected employers to report injury and illness information electronically, as well as to provide clear notification to employees of their right to report such incidents.

A federal judge in Texas has issued an injunction against the Department of Labor’s (DOL) “persuader rule”, stopping enforcement of the regulation just days before it was set to take effect on July 1, 2016.

The German parliament has passed the Act to Promote Transparency of Pay Structures.

REGULATORY RADAR - On February 7, 2018, the United Kingdom improved working conditions for millions of flexible employees. The proposal ensures workers know their rights and receive the benefits and protections they are entitled to, and that action is taken against employers who breach workers’ rights.

REGULATORY RADAR - Washington state legislators have unanimously passed a bill that addresses sexual harassment in the workplace.

REGULATORY RADAR - On February 26, 2018, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that discrimination based on sexual orientation is covered by Title VII’s ban on gender bias. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and religion.

REGULATORY RADAR - The Colorado legislature has passed the “Healthy Families and Workplaces Act” requiring employers within the state to provide paid sick leave to all employees.

REGULATORY RADAR - The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has passed an ordinance requiring that as employers reopen, they must seek to rehire employees who had previously held the position prior to layoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

REGULATORY RADAR -Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has officially declared Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, as a state holiday.