California Passes Broad Range of Labor and Employment Laws – In late September 2024, California passed a series of bills that will make several important changes to the state’s labor and employment laws. Each of these new laws will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
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On Aug. 30, 2024, the DOL’s OSHA published a proposed rule to protect workers from heat injury and illness. The new standard would apply to all employers conducting indoor and outdoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime, and agricultural sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction, subject to limited exceptions. If finalized, the new standard would require employers to create a plan to evaluate and control heat hazards in their workplaces.
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Many benefit plan limits have changed for the new calendar year. Plans such as 401(k), FSA, and HSA all have new maximums set for 2025.
Click the following link to access our Infographic – 2025 Limits to Know.
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Our HR teammates continue to provide expertise and serve as a valuable resource for navigating the pressing challenges facing employers today. This team fields questions each day from employers seeking answers to their HR questions.
In recent months, employers have been requesting clarification or seeking guidance on the following topics:
We created a summary of the guidance related to questions and answers to these common HR situations.
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Employee discipline is a necessary but often fraught element of workforce management. Disciplinary action taken in lieu of immediate termination can help mitigate the risk of potential wrongful termination claims, but failure to handle employee discipline properly can negatively affect employee morale and expose employers to other legal claims. Therefore, it is important for employers to consider a variety of factors before disciplining employees.
To minimize legal risks and protect employee morale, we’ve created 2 new documents related to employee discipline best practices:
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We recently released our 4th quarter HR Edge Newsletter. This edition of the newsletter includes the following information:
Read the full article here: HR Edge Quarterly Newsletter
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Although employee quits have trended down in 2024, EY’s 2024 Work Reimagined Survey report found that 38% of employees are likely to leave their jobs in the next year. According to the survey results, EY advises that to maintain a talent advantage, employers may need to hone their attraction and retention tactics to prioritize enhancing workplace culture, expanding rewards, and building agile employee skill sets.
The survey revealed that employees are generally searching for the following benefits:
Maine Issues FAQs for Paid Family and Medical Leave Program – The Maine Department of Labor has published answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) for the state’s paid family and medical leave (PFML) program. The department included a caveat at the beginning of the FAQs stating that they are subject to change pending the adoption of forthcoming rules.
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Recently, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it updated its Employment Eligibility Verification form, also known as Form I-9, to extend the form’s expiration date from July 31, 2026, to May 31, 2027. Employers must use the Form I-9 dated “08/01/2023,” which may have an expiration date of either “07/31/2026” or “05/31/2027.” Employers may use either form until its respective expiration date. However, the USCIS website will only include the Form I-9 with the new “05/31/2027” expiration date for downloading.
Background – On Aug. 1, 2023, the USCIS published a new version of the Form I-9 that employers were required to use beginning on Nov. 1, 2023. Some of the most notable changes included the following:
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Employee terminations are often complicated, and if not conducted properly, employers can open themselves up to costly legal challenges and negatively affect their business or reputation. Understanding the legal obligations of employee terminations can help employers ensure this process is conducted in a manner that minimizes legal risks and accounts for various business considerations.
Employers should carefully consider their obligations at each stage of the termination process, including: