We are just rounding out our list of new employment laws before the clock strikes midnight tomorrow.

If you missed the first two parts of our list of new laws, you can find them here and here.

It seems that we are not done with sick leave laws.  Illinois recently passed the Employee Sick Leave Act.  Before Illinois employers panic, this law does not require that employers provide paid or unpaid sick leave.  The law simply requires that employees be given greater flexibility in how they can use sick leave benefits that may be provided by employers.  Basically, employees must be permitted to use up to half of their accrued sick leave benefits for absences due to an illness, injury, or medical appointment of the employee's child, spouse, sibling, parent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandchild, grandparent, or stepparent.

Switching gears from sick leave laws, the new I-9 forms have finally been issued.  Employers must use the new I-9 forms beginning on January 22, 2017.  More details can be found on our Immigration View blog here.

In perhaps the most unusual news, Portland, Oregon has made history as being the first jurisdiction to implement a CEO tax for highly compensated executives.  Starting on January 1, 2017, any company who has a CEO who makes 100 times the average employee's income will see their corporate tax rate increased by 10%.  If the CEO makes 250 times the average employee's income, then the increase will be 25%.

Finally, what round-up would be complete without some mention of California.  It seems that new employment laws in California are as frequent as a Kim Kardashian selfie.  Although there are several new laws for 2017, the ones going into effect in January are changes to California's Fair Pay Act, an increase in the minimum wage, and restrictions on arbitration agreements:

  • Fair Pay Act — the protections against discriminatory pay will go beyond gender.  Under the amendments to the law, employees must be given equal pay for equal work regardless of gender, race or ethnicity.
  • Arbitration Protections — There are two new statutes that provide additional protections from employees who may be subject to arbitration agreements.  The first is to state that any party to an arbitration proceeding has a right to have the proceeding recorded by a certified shorthand reporter.  The second is more substantive and prohibits employers from requiring California employees to arbitrate or litigate their claims in any other state besides California, nor can choice of law provisions apply any other states' laws.
  • Minimum Wage — The minimum wage will increase to $10.50 per hour for any employer with 26 or more employees.

Hopefully, our list of new employment laws did not depress you so much that you over indulge in champagne on New Year's Eve!  Starting the New Year with a hangover is bound to get you off on the wrong foot

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.