Oregon: New Protections for Registered Apprentices and On-the-Job Training Program Participants

APPLIES TO

All Employers with OR Employees

EFFECTIVE

January 1, 2024

  

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Quick Look

  • Existing Oregon civil rights, discrimination, and harassment workplace protections are extended to participants in registered apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training programs.

Discussion

HB 3307 extends existing civil rights, discrimination, and harassment workplace protections to participants in registered apprenticeship programs and on-the-job training programs. The law applies to employers who employ or engage the services of an individual or reserves the right to control the means by which such services are or will be performed and sponsors or agrees to provide training under an on-the-job training program. An on-the-job training program: 1) is for a limited duration of time as agreed upon by the participant and the employer; 2) the employer provides paid work experience to the participant at an agreed-upon rate; 3) the program does not require the employer to commit to hiring the participant; and 4) the program does not require or permit the parties to enter into a contract for employment as a term or condition of the program.

HB 3307 does not provide any additional rights under leave laws like the Oregon Family Leave Act or Paid Leave Oregon. It also does not create an employment relationship requiring compliance under wage and hour laws, occupational health and safety laws, workers’ compensation, or unemployment compensation. Employers who sponsor registered apprenticeship programs or on-the-job training programs will need to review and update their discrimination and harassment policies to avoid violating the law.

Action Items

  1. Review and update discrimination and harassment policies.
  2. Update discrimination and harassment training.
  3. Have appropriate personnel trained on the requirements.

Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser. © 2023 ManagEase

Texas: 2023 Legislative Updates

APPLIES TO

All Employers with TX Employees

EFFECTIVE

As Indicated

  

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Quick Look

  • Starting on January 1, 2024, employers have the option to provide paid family leave through a group insurance policy.
  • Cities and counties are prohibited from enacting any law that regulates labor practices that exceed or conflict with state law.
  • Discrimination on the basis of hair texture or protective hairstyles in educational and employment settings is prohibited.
  • Employers must notify the state Attorney General within 30 days of any unauthorized breach of sensitive personal information.
  • Transportation networks using rideshare applications must provide drivers with annual training about human trafficking awareness and prevention in English and Spanish.
  • Employers must post a notice of the hotline for reporting workplace violence or suspicious activity to the Department of Public Safety.
  • The Texas Workforce Commission will increase penalties and enforcement of child labor violations.
  • Government entities are prohibited from mandating or requiring individuals from wearing a face mask or other face covering to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Discussion

A number of laws impacting employers were implemented during the 2023 Texas legislative session ranging from additional training requirements to paid leave insurance program. The most significant laws are summarized below.

Paid Family Leave Insurance. HB 1996 creates a group family leave insurance option starting on January 1, 2024 and went into effect September 1, 2023. The program is voluntary for employers and provides benefits to employees when they have to take time away from work to care for a family member with a serious health condition. Important features and definitions of the paid leave insurance program must include:

  • Benefit Period. The insurance policy must provide benefits for no less than two weeks during a period of 52 consecutive calendar weeks. The insurance policy can also decide whether there is an unpaid waiting period before receiving benefits.
  • Qualifying Reasons. Leave can be taken for the following reasons: 1) participate in providing care, including physical or psychological care, for a family member of the insured made necessary by a serious health condition of the family member; 2) bond with the insured’s child during the first 12 months after the child’s birth, or the first 12 months after the placement of the child for adoption or foster care with the insured; 3) address a qualifying exigency as interpreted by the Family and Medical Leave Act; 4) care for a family member who is injured in the line of duty; or 5) take other leave to provide care for a family member or other family leave as specified in the policy.
  • Serious Health Condition. A serious health condition is an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition, including transplantation preparation and recovery from surgery related to organ or tissue donation, that involves: 1) inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential health care facility; 2) continuing treatment; or 3) continuing supervision by a health care provider.
  • Family Member. A family member is a dependent, spouse, or parent or any other person defined as a family member in the family leave insurance policy.

“Death Star” Law. Previously set to be effective September 1, 2023, HB 2127, the “Death Star” Law, prohibits cities and counties from enacting any law that regulates labor practices that exceed or conflict with state law. Prior to the law, cities could enact their own ordinances regulating labor, agriculture, finance, insurance, natural resources, and occupations. Any current rule or ordinance that regulates leave, hiring practices, breaks, employment benefits, scheduling practices, and any other terms of employment are null and void if they exceed or conflict with federal or state law. Cities like Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Houston had their own laws which provided paid sick leave, predictive scheduling, mandatory water breaks, and other employee protections and benefits which were preempted by the Death Star Law. The law also creates a private right of action for individuals who sustained an injury due to a local rule or ordinance. However, several major cities in Texas have filed a legal challenge against the law. On August 30, 2023, a local district court judge declared that HB 2127 in its entirety is unconstitutional and an appeal has been filed. In the meantime, employers should continue to comply with local rules and continue to look for updates on this matter.

CROWN Act. Effective September 1, 2023, HB 567 prohibits discrimination on the basis of hair texture or protective hairstyles in educational and employment settings. Protective hairstyles include braids, locks, and twists. Employers, labor unions, or employment agencies may not implement discriminatory polices related to hair texture or protective styles that are historically associated with race. Grooming and discrimination policies should be updated to reflect this change in the law.

Security Breach Reporting. Effective, September 1, 2023, SB 768 now requires employers to notify the state Attorney General within 30 days of any unauthorized breach. This notice period has been reduced from 60 days. A security breach is an unauthorized acquisition of computerized data that compromises the security, confidentiality, or integrity of sensitive personal information. Employers must also submit a detailed description of the breach in addition to other information through use of an electronic form on the Attorney General’s website.

Human Trafficking Training. Effective September 1, 2023, HB 2313 requires that transportation networks using rideshare applications must provide drivers with annual training about human trafficking awareness and prevention in English and Spanish. The training must be provided before a new driver is authorized to provide rides using the digital network. The training must last at least 15 minutes and include an overview of human trafficking, guidance on how to identify at-risk individuals, relevant information on the difference between labor and sex trafficking, guidance on the role of a driver in reporting and responding to human trafficking, and contact information of appropriate entities for reporting human trafficking.

State Workplace Violence Hotline. Effective March 1, 2024, HB 915 requires employers to post a notice of the hotline for reporting workplace violence or suspicious activity to the Department of Public Safety. The notice must in English and Spanish. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) will provide a sample notice and adopt rules for the notice. Until it does, employers have no further obligations.

Child Labor Investigations. Effective September 1, 2023, HB 2549 creates a new penalty of up to $10,000 for employers that have child labor violations. The TWC must also create Child Labor Tribunals to adjudicate disputes of preliminary determinations by investigators and establish an additional level of appeal to the TWC for the parties. The state Attorney General also has the right to seek injunctive relief against repeat offenders.

Restrictions on COVID-19 Regulations. Effective September 1, 2023, SB 29 prohibits government entities from mandating or requiring individuals from wearing a face mask or other face covering to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The prohibition excludes state-supported living centers, correctional facilities, and hospitals.

Action Items

  1. Review and revise COVID-19 masking requirements, if applicable.
  2. Review procedures regarding hiring of child workers.
  3. Monitor TWC website for model workplace violence hotline posting.
  4. Develop policy and train drivers about human trafficking awareness and prevention, if applicable.
  5. Review and revise security breach notification procedures.
  6. Review and revise discrimination and grooming policies to prohibit discrimination based on hair texture and hairstyles.
  7. Review compliance with local rules and ordinances with legal counsel.
  8. Review paid leave insurance program option with insurance carrier.
  9. Train appropriate personnel on the requirements.

Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser. © 2023 ManagEase

September Updates

APPLIES TO

Varies

EFFECTIVE

Varies

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2022 EEO-1 Reporting Period Opens October 31, 2023

The Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finally announced that the 2022 EEO-1 reporting period will open on October 31, 2023. The deadline for filing will be December 5, 2023. All employers with 100 or more U.S. employees and federal contractors with at least 50 U.S. employees are required to annually submit an EEO-1 report to the EEOC. Employers should look for updates on the 2022 EEO-1 data collection, including an updated Instruction Booklet and Data File Upload Specifications, on the EEOC’s website.

OFCCP to Review Use of AI in Employment

On August 24, 2023, the Office of Management and Budget approved a request from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) to revise the “Itemized Listing” that OFCCP uses to collect information from federal contractors that are selected for supply or service audits. Audited contractors must identify and provide information and documentation of policies, practices, or systems used to recruit, screen, and hire, including the use of artificial intelligence, algorithms, automated systems or other technology-based selection procedures. Employers should review this requirement with legal counsel should they be audited.

California: Late Arbitrator Payments Cannot be Cured by Arbitrator

California requires employers to pay all arbitration costs and fees within 30 days of the due date or risk waiving their right to enforce the arbitration agreement with their employee. On June 28, 2023, in Cvejic v. Skyview Capital, the California Second District Court of Appeal said that an arbitrator cannot cure a missed or late arbitration fee payment. There, an employer missed the deadline to pay the arbitrator’s fees. The arbitrator set a new deadline for which the employer made the required payment. The employee subsequently withdrew from the arbitration proceeding. The court ultimately said that there is no statutory authority for the arbitrator to permit an extension of the required payment. This ruling highlights the risk to employers who do not pay arbitration fees on time.

Edgewater, CO: Minimum Wage Ordinance

Edgewater, Colorado has enacted its own minimum wage ordinance, which is set to take effect on January 1, 2024. Edgewater’s ordinance applies to employers with one or more “covered” employees, which include individuals performing, or expected to perform, four or more hours of work for an employer in any given week in Edgewater. However, the ordinance does not address situations where an employer may not have a physical location within Edgewater but nevertheless sends employees to perform work within Edgewater. Beginning January 1, 2024, employers must pay employees a minimum wage of $15.02 per hour, which is set to be increased each subsequent year based on the ordinance’s pre-set minimum wages through 2028. The ordinance also lays out maximum tip credits and minimum cash wages for each year. Beginning in 2029, and each subsequent year, the minimum wage will be set by the city council based on increases in the Consumer Price Index for the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood Area. Alternatively, if the local minimum wage rate in Denver exceeds Edgewater’s CPI-adjusted rate, the new Edgewater minimum wage will match Denver’s.

Missouri: Mobile Devices Prohibited While Driving

Effective August 28, 2023, SB 398 prohibited commercial and noncommercial drivers in Missouri from operating a motor vehicle while using an electronic communication device. The law specifically prohibits: 1) physically holding or supporting an electronic communication device; 2) writing, sending, or reading any text-based communication which also includes social media interactions; 3) making a phone call, voice message, or one-way voice communication (except for when a hands-free feature is used); 4) engaging in electronic data retrieval or communication; 5) watching a video or movie; 6) manually entering in letters, numbers, or symbols into an application on the electronic communication device; and 7) recording, posting, sending, or broadcasting video (except for the sole purpose of continually monitoring operator behavior by recording or broadcasting video within or outside the vehicle). There are exceptions for certain individuals and circumstances including, but not limited to, law enforcement, reporting an emergency situation, or using an electronic communication device while the vehicle is lawfully stopped or parked. Penalties for violations include fines ranging from $50-$5,000 in addition to criminal charges or license suspension. Employers with employees driving for work purposes should review their driving policies and make updates as necessary.

New Hampshire: Minimum Wage Tip Credit Law is Amended

Effective September 26, 2023, SB 269 amends New Hampshire’s minimum wage tip credit to allow an employer to administer a tip pool without an employee requesting it, as long as the employer does not require or coerce employees into participating in the tip pool. The reference to “service charge” is also removed from the definition of what constitutes a tip, bringing New Hampshire’s tip credit in line with federal law.

Vermont: Payroll Contribution for Child Care Takes Effect

Effective July 1, 2024, H. 217 will require all Vermont employers with at least one employee subject to income tax withholding to pay the 0.44% Child Care Contribution on all covered wages paid to each employee. Up to 25% of the contribution may be withheld from the employees’ taxable wages. In doing so, an employer is required to remit any withheld employee share to the Vermont Department of Taxes as if the amount were withheld income tax.


Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser. © 2023 ManagEase