Compliance Stuff

At a Glance U.S. West Coast cities have expanded workplace anti-discrimination laws to recognize polyamorous and “non-normative family or relationship structures” as new protected categories.  No states have yet enacted similar laws, but states like CA, OR, and WA may face pressure to do so as more cities in those states recognize these new protections.  Cities along the U.S. West Coast and beyond are expanding workplace anti-discrimination laws to cover diverse family and relationship structures, including polyamorous and other “non-normative family or relationship structures.” Indeed, cities in multiple states have adopted such protections, including Oakland in California; Portland in Oregon; Cambridge in Massachusetts; and Olympia in Washington.  Some of the legislative histories of these laws state that individuals with “non-normative family or relationship structures” face discrimination in certain areas of life—including in the workplace—and seek to remedy such...

Here are the top ten items you should tackle in September, based on the latest workplace law developments and upcoming critical compliance dates: _____ Assess workplace impact of recent SCOTUS rulings.  Take a look back on all the SCOTUS cases from the past year that impacted your workplace, industry, and litigation exposure.  Click here  for a quick guide along with a rating for how impactful each decision will be for employers. _____ Track employment-related AI lawsuits.  In  the latest big lawsuit , filed on August 4, an unsuccessful job applicant sued Sirius XM Radio in federal court claiming the company’s AI-powered hiring tool discriminated against him based on his race. Another  new lawsuit  highlights concerns about AI notetakers. _____ Vet your AI bias auditors.  Speaking of AI developments, as you increasingly use artificial intelligence tools to help shape your decisions, you’ll likely retain vendors to conduct AI bias audits. But ...

The Portland, Maine, City Council voted on Monday to send a citizen initiative seeking increases in the city’s minimum wage to voters for a decision in the upcoming November election. This now marks the third time since the pandemic that voters have been asked to weigh in on the city’s minimum wage policies. In 2021, Portland voters passed a resolution increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour, with all subsequent increases after 2024 tied to the Consumer Price Index. A subsequent citizen initiative to further raise the minimum wage failed in 2022. The current resolution facing voters calls for gradually raising the city's minimum wage from the current $15.50 an hour to $20 an hour by the year 2029, with specific, phased yearly increases. Key Details of the Minimum Wage Resolution Initial Increase and Timeline:   If passed by voters , the minimum wage would, on its earliest effective date, rise to $16.50 per hour. The minimum would then rise to $17 an hour on January 1, 202...