Governor Newsom recently signed into law SB 1149, which amends the state’s bereavement leave law to allow for bereavement leave for designated individuals.
Under existing law, California employers with 5 or more employees must provide employees with 5 days of unpaid bereavement leave upon the death of a family member. The current law’s definition of a family member includes a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner, or parent-in-law.
Governor Newsom recently signed into law AB 1803, which will require employers to provide anti-hate speech training.
As a reminder, California employers with 5 or more employees are already required to provide sexual harassment prevention training to employees within 6 months of hire and every 2 years.
Governor Hochul recently signed legislation (Senate Bill 3460) that gives current and former employees new rights to access their personnel file. The law applies to all employers in the state regardless of headcount and takes effect on November 8, 2026.
A reminder to employers that classifying workers as independent contractors is only appropriate when legal standards are met and cannot be done simply for the sake of convenience or because that classification is requested by the worker.
The Massachusetts Attorney General announced last week that it would be assessing $1.46 million in citations against a franchisor with 20 locations in Massachusetts and the staffing agency that provided purported independent contractors to the franchisor.
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) launched the Employer Response Portal, where employers must submit separation information under New Jersey’s Unemployment Compensation Law.
The portal requires employers to proactively report layoffs, discharges, resignations, and retirements within seven (7) days of separation, rather than waiting for the former employee(s) to file for unemployment benefits. Employers also have seven (7) calendar days after the NJDOL makes an initial unemployment benefit determination to file an appeal.
Are your sick leave practices ready for upcoming compliance changes?
New York City has adopted amended final rules regarding paid and unpaid sick/safe time requirements. The new rules take effect July 23, 2026.
Most of the changes reflect the requirements that became effective earlier this year and the guidance previously issued by the City. However
New Jersey employers:
Recent amendments to the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA), which take effect on July 17, 2026, expand leave protections for employees and compliance obligations for employers. The NJFLA provides employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave within a 24-month period to bond with a new child or
First in the South: Virginia Enacts Paid Family & Medical Leave
Virginia has become the first southern US state to enact a statewide paid family and medical leave (PFML) program. It joins roughly 15 total states + D.C. in enacting PFML.
The new program will kick off with contributions and benefit payments beginning in 2028
Attention Illinois employers:
The Illinois Family Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act (NICLA) will become effective on June 1, 2026. This law provides unpaid leave to parents with infants in the NICU. The requirement applies to employers with 16 or more employees and provides up to 10 days of unpaid leave if an employer has between
Attention Maine employers:
Starting May 1, 2026, benefits become available to Maine employees under the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. Maine’s PFML law provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for medical, bonding, family care, and safety needs. PFML applies to the majority of employers regardless of size
