Compliance Stuff

October will bring vibrant foliage, cooler temperatures, and a heap of new workplace laws. From California to Connecticut, employers across the country will be impacted by state and local requirements taking effect next month. Some trends this fall include pay transparency, paid sick leave, and data privacy protections. Here’s your employer cheat sheet to the laws taking effect in October 2025. Note : All laws listed here will take effect on  October 1  unless otherwise noted. California Regulation of AI Use in Employment Decisions.  The California Civil Council of the Civil Rights Department adopted  regulations  earlier this year that protect against employment discrimination as a result of the use of artificial intelligence (AI), algorithms , and other automated-decision systems. For a closer look at the new rules, check out our prior FP coverage  here .  Colorado New Data Privacy Rules for Businesses.  New privacy rules will refine protections...

Connecticut has revised its privacy law for the third time since it was passed in 2022. With  SB 1295 , the state has mirrored others (like  Colorado  and  Montana ) in making ongoing changes to its law. Many of the changes incorporate either in concept, or wholesale, provisions that exist in other states. C onnecticut makes these changes following  2024  and  2025  AG reports, which reports included recommendations to lawmakers, some of which ended up in SB 1295. Among the changes that will take effect July 1, 2026 are the following: Expanded Scope.  Like  Montana , the threshold will be lowered. Rather than 100,000 consumers, it will be processing information of 35,000 consumers . This lowered threshold aligns with other states such as  Delaware ,  New Hampshire ,  Maryland , and  Rhode Island . The law will also cover entities that process any sensitive consumer data, and expands the definition of that term. It wi...

  States and cities are as busy as ever passing new workplace regulations throughout the calendar year. Here is our mid-year report summarizing the notable labor and employment laws that take effect from roughly July through October.  Montana Bill / Ordinance / Regulation Main Topic Summary Effective Date Montana SB 143 (LC2447) Contracts Amends the statute of limitations for any action regarding a contract, covenant, obligation, or liability founded on an instrument in writing from eight to six years. 10/1/2025 Montana HB 128 (LC941)   Emergency Responder Leave Prohibits termination of volunteer emergency service providers who are absent or late to work while performing these services during an emergency. 10/1/2025 Montana HB 226 (LC1663) Immigration Requires employers to verify all employees' legal ability to work in the United States prior to commencement of work. 7/1/2025 Montana HB 367   Workers' Compensation Provides that whether an employer furnishes transport...

Each month, GovDocs Employment Law & Compliance Team will provide the scoop on key bills making their way through the legislative process. This month tackles pending legislation on discrimination laws at the state level. While there is a plethora of pending discrimination legislation, this article will specifically discuss three bills that have passed both the House and Senate in Oregon, Hawaii, and Montana.     Oregon Discrimination Legislation  Oregon’s state legislature recently passed House Bill 3187 ( HB 3187 ) relating to age-based employment discrimination during the first stages of the job application process. If signed by the governor, HB 3187 would amend the state’s discrimination law so that employers, prospective employers, and employment agencies are prohibited from requesting or requiring an applicant to provide their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance and/or graduation of any educational institution prior to completing an initial interview ...