APPLIES TO All Employers with Employees in KS

EFFECTIVE July 1, 2025

QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call (888) 378-2456

Quick Look SB 241 provides new enforceability presumptions and mandates judicial modification of overly broad restrictive covenants and agreements.

Discussion

As of July 1, 2025, SB 241 amends Kansas’ Restraint of Trade Act to provide clearer standards for enforceability and to reduce the uncertainty that previously surrounded non-compete and non-solicitation clauses. Under the prior version of the law, restrictive covenants were presumed enforceable if they were “reasonable in view of all the facts and circumstances” and did not violate public welfare. However, the open-ended nature of the reasonableness test left much discretion to judges, often making it difficult for employers to predict whether a covenant would ultimately be upheld.

 

SB 241 addresses this problem by introducing two key changes. First, the law sets out specific scenarios in which certain restrictive covenants will be presumed enforceable, most notably, for non-solicitation agreements and provisions requiring an owner to give advance notice before selling or transferring their ownership stake. To qualify, covenants must meet specific scope and duration limits, including coverage of “material contact customers” and defined relationships between parties.

 

Second, the law provides a backstop for overly broad covenants that do not qualify for one of the new presumptions. Rather than striking those covenants down entirely, courts are now required to modify them, but only to the extent reasonably necessary to protect the employer’s legitimate business interests.

 

While the updates under SB 241 offer a more reliable legal framework for Kansas businesses seeking to enforce post-employment restrictions, these types of agreements are still subject to challenges in court and courts will consider defenses raised by employees. Employers should work with their legal counsel to ensure that any restrictive covenant or agreement is in compliance with these updated requirements.

 

Action Items

1. Review restrictive covenants and agreements with legal counsel.

 

 

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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. © 2025 ManagEase

APPLIES TO All Employers with Employees in MD

EFFECTIVE July 3, 2025

QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call (888) 378-2456

Quick Look The Maryland Supreme Court held that the de minimis doctrine applies to claims brought under the state’s wage and hour laws, allowing employers to disregard insignificant amounts of time spent on work-related tasks.

Discussion

In Martinez v. Amazon.com Services LLC, the Maryland Supreme Court held that the de minimis doctrine applies to claims brought under the state’s wage and hour laws. The de minimis doctrine allows employers to disregard “insignificant” amounts of time spent on work-related tasks when calculating an employee’s compensable working hours.

 

The case was brought by a former Amazon employee who worked at the Baltimore fulfillment center and filed a class-action lawsuit in 2021 seeking unpaid wages for time spent going through security checks after clocking out. As part of the suit, the plaintiff alleged that she and other employees spent anywhere from 3 to 15 minutes participating in these security checks. Amazon argued that they did not owe employees compensation for this time because it fell under the purview of de minimis time. The plaintiff argued that the de minimis rule contradicts Maryland’s public policy of ensuring workers are paid for all work performed. Ultimately, the issue of whether or not state law recognizes the principle of de minimis time is what proceeded to the Maryland Supreme Court.

 

Ultimately, the court determined that the de minimis doctrine is a long-standing common-law principle that Maryland legislators would have been aware of when initially enacting the state’s wage statutes. The Court concluded that, absent a clear rejection from the General Assembly, the doctrine applies by default. According to the Court, Maryland’s wage laws are not intended to hold employers liable for negligible amounts of unrecorded time, citing the need to balance enforcement with practical workplace realities. Importantly, the court did not address whether the specific time spent by the class action employees actually constituted de minimis time. Instead, the court only addressed whether the de minimis doctrine was recognized in Maryland. The matter was therefore sent back to the lower courts to determine whether the security check time was compensable or excludable under the de minimis doctrine.

 

This decision provides some clarity and relief for Maryland employers; however, the ruling does not give employers a free pass. Employees may still argue that time spent under employer control is not de minimis, especially when aggregated across shifts or among large workforces. Despite the Court’s conclusion, the plaintiffs will be permitted to pursue their claims if they can show the time lost was substantial enough to warrant compensation under the doctrine’s parameters. The threshold for what counts as de minimis is also not clearly defined by the court’s decision, so employers should continue to monitor future legal developments.

 

Action Items

1. Review employer timekeeping practices for compliance.
2. Have appropriate personnel trained on timekeeping practices.

 

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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. © 2025 ManagEase

APPLIES TO As Indicated

EFFECTIVE As Indicated

QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call (888) 378-2456

Quick Look Effective July 1, 2025, HB 358 provides nursing mothers with an unpaid 30-minute break to express breast milk for every three hours of work and a private space to express breast milk. Effective January 1, 2026, HB 2 requires employers with 20 or more employees to provide up to 25 hours of unpaid leave from work to attend medical appointments for childbirth, postpartum care, or the employee’s child’s pediatric medical appointments within the first year of the child’s birth or adoption.

Discussion

New Hampshire employers with pregnant and nursing workers should be aware of two important new employee protections.

 

Accommodations for Nursing Mothers

 

Effective July 1, 2025, HB 358 provides nursing mothers with an unpaid 30-minute break to express breast milk for every three hours of work. This requirement goes further than the federal Providing Urgent Maternal Protections (PUMP) for Nursing Mothers Act, which only requires employers to provide reasonable break times for employees within the first year after childbirth. “Expression of milk” is defined to include initiation of lactation by manual or mechanical means.

 

Like the PUMP Act, employers must also provide a space to express breast milk. It cannot be a bathroom and must be shielded from view, clean, and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public. It also must be within reasonable walking distance. Employees are required to provide at last two weeks’ notice prior to needing the break periods and a space for expressing breast milk. Employers are permitted an exemption from the law’s requirements only in cases of undue hardship – which requires significant difficulty or expense in order to comply. The law was enacted in 2023, but employers with six or more employees were only required to comply as of July 1, 2025.

 

Childbirth Related Leave

 

Effective January 1, 2026, HB 2 requires employers with 20 or more employees to provide up to 25 hours of unpaid leave from work to attend medical appointments for childbirth, postpartum care, or the employee’s child’s pediatric medical appointments within the first year of the child’s birth or adoption. Parents working for the same employer are entitled to take a cumulative of 25 hours. Employees are permitted to substitute paid vacation time or any other appropriate paid leave. The leave entitlement is also job protected. Employees must provide reasonable notice to the employer and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt the operations of the employer. Employers can ask for documentation to ensure that the time is being taken for its intended purpose.

 

Action Items

1. Review and update lactation accommodation policy to include unpaid break time of 30 minutes for every three hours of work.
2. Designate a private area for expressing breast milk.
3. Update leave policies to provide for childbirth-related leave.
4. Have appropriate personnel trained on the requirements.

 

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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. © 2025 ManagEase

APPLIES TO As Indicated

EFFECTIVE As Indicated

QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call (888) 378-2456

Quick Look Effective January 1, 2026, HB 6066 increases the temporary disability insurance wage base to $100,000 from $38,000 and also increases weekly benefits. Effective June 24, 2025, HB 6161 requires employers to provide workplace accommodations for applicants and employees experiencing menopause and related medical conditions. Effective July 2, 2025, HB 5901/SB 576 updates the state’s hands-free driving law to include exceptions for using a GPS or navigation device while it is mounted for hands-free use or the use of a personal wireless communication device with a hands-free accessory or with the activation or deactivation of a feature or function with the motion of a single swipe or tap of the finger. Effective July 2, 2025, HB 5506 bans employers from discharging, disciplining, or otherwise threatening to take any adverse employment action against an employee because the employee refused to attend an employer-sponsored meeting regarding the employer’s opinion concerning a religious or political matter or refused to listen to speech or view communications, including electronic communications from the employer intended to communicate the employer’s opinion concerning religious or political matters. Effective July 1, 2025, SB 887 protects against disability discrimination in federally funded programs even if there is a change in federal law. Effective July 1, 2025, SB 519 amends the state’s Fair Employment Practices Act to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles. Effective July 1, 2025, HB 5679 requires employers to provide a wage notice to employees at the start of employment. Effective January 1, 2026, SB 829 expands the temporary caregiver insurance program to include benefits for participation as a bone marrow transplant donor or a living organ donor. Effective January 1, 2026, SB 974 expands temporary caregiver insurance to provide for time off work to care for a sibling. Effective August 17, 2025, the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) issued new regulations clarifying premium pay requirements and who must comply.

Discussion

The Rhode Island legislative session was a busy one for laws impacting employers and their employees. The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training also published new rules clarifying premium pay required for work on Sundays and holidays. The most notable changes are summarized below.

 

Temporary Disability Benefits Changes

 

Effective January 1, 2026, HB 6066 increases the temporary disability insurance wage base to $100,000 from $38,000. Temporary disability weekly benefits will also increase to 4.62% of an individual’s wages in the highest-paid quarter of their wage base period. The percentage will increase to 5.38% in the 2027 benefit year and 5.77% in the 2028 benefit year and thereafter.

 

Menopause Protections

 

Effective June 24, 2025, HB 6161 requires employers to provide workplace accommodations for applicants and employees experiencing menopause and related medical conditions. The law amends the Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act, which requires reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, to expressly include menopause. The definition of “related condition” is amended to include the need to manage the effects of vasomotor symptoms. Examples of vasomotor symptoms include, but are not limited to, hot flashes and night sweats. In addition to engaging in the interactive process with workers experiencing menopause, employers are also required to provide an employee, who gives them notice of menopause, with a written notice of the right to be free from discrimination for such condition within 10 days of notification.

 

Hands-Free Driving Update

 

Effective July 2, 2025, HB 5901/SB 576 updates the state’s hands-free driving law to include exceptions for using a GPS or navigation device while it is mounted for hands-free use or the use of a personal wireless communication device with a hands-free accessory or with the activation or deactivation of a feature or function with the motion of a single swipe or tap of the finger. Employers with workers who perform driving duties should ensure that workers are using approved hands-free devices in compliance with the law.

 

Captive Audience Meeting Ban

 

Effective July 2, 2025, HB 5506 bans employers from discharging, disciplining, or otherwise threatening to take any adverse employment action against an employee because the employee refused to attend an employer-sponsored meeting regarding the employer’s opinion concerning a religious or political matter or refused to listen to speech or view communications, including electronic communications from the employer intended to communicate the employer’s opinion concerning religious or political matters.

 

The law does not prohibit:

 

• Communications the employer is required to provide by law;
• Communications that are necessary for employees to perform their job duties;
• Meeting with or participating in communications that are part of coursework, any symposia, or an academic program at an institution of higher education; and
• Casual conversations between employees or the employer, provided that participation in the conversation is not required.

 

Violations of the law may result in injunctive relief, reinstatement, back pay and reestablishment of employee benefits, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.

 

Disability Discrimination Protections

 

Effective July 1, 2025, SB 887 protects against disability discrimination in federally funded programs even if there is a change in federal law. The law specifically cites Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which prohibits discrimination based on disability in federally funded programs and activities. In the event Section 504 is repealed or invalidated, the state will continue to enforce the prohibition on discrimination in federally funded programs and activities. Employers with programs that receive federal funding should be aware that they will be expected to comply with the prohibition on disability discrimination in Rhode Island even if the federal government changes the requirements under the Rehabilitation Act.

 

CROWN Act

 

Effective July 1, 2025, SB 519 amends the state’s Fair Employment Practices Act to prohibit discrimination based on hairstyles. The definition of race is expanded to include traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles include, but are not limited to, hair texture or hairstyles commonly associated with a particular race or national origin, like hair that is tightly coiled or tightly curled, locks, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, and afros.

 

Wage Notice Requirement

 

Effective July 1, 2025, HB 5679 requires employers to provide a wage notice to employees at the start of employment. The notice must include:

 

• The rate or rates of pay including whether the employee is to be paid by the hour, shift, day, week, salary, piece, commission, or other method;
• Allowances claimed for permitted meals and lodging;
• Employer policy on sick, vacation, personal leave, holidays and hours;
• Employment status and whether they are exempt from minimum wage or overtime;
• A list of deductions to be made from pay;
• Number of days in the pay period, regularly scheduled payday, and the payday on which the employee will receive the first payment of wages earned;
• The legal name of the employer and operating name;
• Physical address of employer’s main office or principal place of business; and
• Phone number of employer.

 

A copy of the notice shall be retained along with an acknowledgement of receipt for a period of three years.

 

Bone Marrow and Organ Donor Leave

 

Effective January 1, 2026, SB 829 expands the temporary caregiver insurance program to include benefits for participation as a bone marrow transplant donor or a living organ donor. Benefits will include time needed for procedures, medical tests, and surgeries related to the donation, including no more than five business days of recovery from a bone marrow transplant or no more than 30 business days of recovery from a living organ donor transplant. A bone marrow transplant donor is an individual from whose body bone marrow is taken to be transferred to the body of another person. A living organ donor is an individual who donates all or part of an organ and is not deceased.

 

Leave to Care for a Sibling

 

Effective January 1, 2026, SB 974 expands temporary caregiver insurance to provide for time off work to care for a sibling. “Sibling” is defined as children with a common parent, including biological siblings, half-siblings, step-siblings, foster siblings, and adopted siblings.

 

New Premium Pay Regulations

 

Effective August 17, 2025, the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training (DLT) issued new regulations clarifying premium pay requirements and who must comply. Existing law requires time-and-a-half pay for retail employees for work performed on Sundays and certain holidays. However, there was no clear definition of a retail employer. Under the new regulations, a retail business is “an establishment engaged primarily in the sale of goods or services directly to the general public. It operates at the end of the distribution chain, selling in small quantities to the ultimate consumer in a manner consistent with other consumer goods and services.” Expressly excluded from the definition are resale, wholesale, manufacturing, food preparation and sales, and other wholesale operations that service other businesses rather than customers. The advantage of a clear definition of retailer is that the retail employer can count this premium pay towards the calculation of overtime. Non-retailers must pay overtime and premium pay separately.

 

In addition to the new definition of retailer, the new regulations also delete the ability of the DLT to provide exemptions from the premium pay requirements. The DLT had this ability prior to the state legislature removing it in 2021. The new regulations now reflect this change by removing the process for requesting an exemption.

 

Action Items

1. Review and update leave policies referencing the temporary caregiver insurance program, if applicable.
2. Review and update accommodations policies.
3. Review and update safe driving policies, if applicable.
4. Consult with legal counsel regarding mandatory meetings involving religious or political matters.
5. Update discrimination and harassment policies.
6. Draft and provide required wage notice to employees upon start of employment.
7. Update payroll processes for calculation of premium pay, if applicable.
8. Have appropriate personnel trained on the requirements.

 

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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. © 2025 ManagEase

APPLIES TO As Indicated

EFFECTIVE As Indicated

QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call (888) 378-2456

Quick Look Effective July 27, 2025, SB 5501 prohibits employers from requiring a valid driver’s license as a condition of employment or for a job opening. Effective January 1, 2026, SB 5041 now provides for unemployment benefits for workers on strike or who are locked out by their employer. Effective June 13, 2025, Ordinance 127229 amends the Seattle Commute Trip Reduction Program to include remote employees in the definition of “affected employee” and modifies strategies for compliance.

Discussion

Washington employers should be aware of continued expansion of worker protections. Recent legislation changes are summarized below.

 

Driver’s License Restrictions 

 

Effective July 27, 2025, SB 5501 prohibits employers from requiring a valid driver’s license as a condition of employment or for a job opening. Employers can only request a valid driver’s license if driving is one of the essential job functions or is related to a legitimate business purpose for a position. Violations can result in statutory damages equal to actual damages or $5,000, whichever is greater. For a first violation, the civil penalty is $500. Repeat violations are $1,000 or 10% of damages, whichever is greater.

 

Unemployment Benefits for Strikers

 

Effective January 1, 2026, SB 5041 will provide unemployment benefits to workers on strike or who are locked out by their employer. Previously, unemployment benefits were expressly excluded for those workers. Benefits for striking workers begin after the disqualification period ends. The disqualification period ends the second Sunday after the strike begins or the date the strike ends, whichever is first. There is no disqualification period for locked out workers. The one-week waiting period applies to both groups of workers.

 

Striking workers can receive up to six weeks of benefits, while locked out workers can receive up to 26 weeks of benefits. If benefits are issued as the result of a strike, the Employment Security Department (ESD) will notify the employer of mediation services available through the Public Employment Relations Commission. Benefits paid will be charged to the experience rating account in the event of a strike for a “covered contribution paying base year employer.” If a contribution paying employer is charged benefits due to a strike, the ESD will determine whether the employer is eligible to make a voluntary contribution and provide notice to eligible employers of the ESD’s determination.

 

If an eligible employee also receives retroactive wages for any week where they received unemployment benefits, the ESD will issue an overpayment assessment to recover the benefits. If a court finds a strike to be unlawful, employees must also repay benefits received. The law is set to expire on December 31, 2035. The legislature is required to review the law and decide whether to renew it.

 

Seattle Commute Trip Reduction Program Changes

 

Effective June 13, 2025, Ordinance 127229 amends the Seattle Commute Trip Reduction Program to include remote employees in the definition of “affected employee” and modifies strategies for compliance. Remote employees are excluded from the definition if they live more than 150 miles from the worksite, go to the worksite once per year or less, and work from home or a site near home. The purpose of the program was to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution by providing alternatives to driving for commuters. Employers with 100 or more employees who report in-person, hybrid, or remotely to a work site between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and live within 150 miles of Seattle are required to:

 

• Appoint an individual to act as an Employee Transportation Coordinator to be a primary contact between the employer and the city and administer the Commute Trip Reduction Program;
• Submit a program report to the city for review and approval every two years;
• Conduct a commuter survey once every two years to measure employees’ commute patterns; and
• Exercise a good faith effort by collaborating with the city in its administration and implementation of the law.

 

The Ordinance also modifies the strategies a covered employer can implement in order to comply with the program. Under Category B, to ensure non-drive-alone commutes are preferable options, employers can provide employee financial assistance or company-owned assets for a hybrid or remote office setup or provide subsidies for scooter share, bike share, or other shared mobility employee memberships. Under Category C, for parking management, discouraging driving single-occupancy vehicles to the workplace by omitting parking subsidies must apply to at least 90% of affected employees in order to count towards a compliance strategy.

 

Action Items

1. Review and update job descriptions and job postings to evaluate requirement for valid driver’s license.
2. Discuss impacts to experience rating and voluntary contribution to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund with legal counsel, if applicable.
3. Review and update Seattle Commute Trip Reduction Program compliance requirements, if applicable.

 

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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. © 2025 ManagEase