Compliance Stuff

Compliance with California’s paid sick leave law grew increasingly complex this year with new legislative developments. The Labor Commission updated its  Frequently Asked Questions Page for California Paid Sick Leave  to address these changes. Our article,  New FAQs on California Paid Sick Leave Unveiled | California Workplace Law Blog , identifies highlights from the FAQs that employers should be aware of as they enter the new year. Source(s): Jackson Lewis , received on December 20, 2024.

  After eight years in limbo, agencies should now no longer be able to place federal employees on administrative leave indefinitely during personnel investigations. The Office of Personnel Management published a  final rule  this week on the 2016  Administrative Leave Act , capping how long federal employees can remain on administrative investigative leave to 10 days per year. The regulations clarify how agencies should implement the restrictions on paid administrative leave for employees who are under investigation or awaiting a decision on an adverse personnel action. Congress  passed the legislation  as part of the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act after growing concerns about the costs associated with administrative leave, as well as the long time periods agencies were taking to complete personnel investigations. In 2014, the Government Accountability Office estimated that the salaries of federal employees on paid administrative leave were ...

  Under current law, most 401(k) plans permit catch-up contributions that are equally available to all participants who are age fifty or over. Starting in 2025, the  SECURE 2.0 Act  allows eligible participants who are ages sixty to sixty-three to make “super-catch-up contributions” of up to the greater of: $10,000, or 150 percent of the regular catch-up limit. Quick Hits Starting in 2025, the SECURE 2.0 Act allows participants ages sixty to sixty-three to make “super-catch-up contributions” of up to $10,000 or 150 percent of the regular catch-up limit. Employers may need to amend their retirement plans by the end of 2024 to accommodate the new super-catch-up contributions or clarify their implementation. The introduction of super-catch-up contributions will require significant updates to payroll and recordkeeping systems to track different age categories and contribution limits. The annual catch-up contribution limits will vary depending on the participant’s age, as show...

  On November 29, 2024, a proposal was issued in the  Federal Register  to change thresholds  regarding  laws enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs ( OFCCP )  and other agencies .  This proposal would affect Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 503) and the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA)  among other laws .   FAR Council Action   The proposal to change thresholds was made by the  Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council . The FAR Council includes representatives of the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, and NASA. The FAR Council controls the federal acquisition regulations (FARs), which govern much of the procurement of products and services done by the federal government.   The Federal Register notice issued by the FAR Council affects many federal agencies and programs. The FAR Council is requir...

  As 2025 approaches, the FAR Council has released its   proposed  adjusted  acquisition thresholds . The proposed adjustment increases the thresholds to account for inflation and the Consumer Price Index. The most heavily used thresholds affected by the proposed increase are the   micro-purchase threshold (MPT)   and the   simplified  acquisition  threshold (SAT) . While the proposed adjustment affects several acquisition thresholds, it is important to note it does not apply to the Construction Wage Rate Requirements statute (Davis-Bacon Act), Service Contract Labor Standard statute, performance and payment bonds, or trade agreement thresholds. What is the Micro-Purchase Threshold? The proposed rule increases the MPT from $10,000 to $15,000. For purchases at or below the MPT, authorized agency officials can use a   Governmentwide commercial purchase card , which is similar to a commercial credit card, to make purchases without solicitin...

  Many New Hampshire employers will soon be required to allow employees to keep loaded guns in their cars parked at work, and   all  employers in the state will soon need to comply with new employee privacy protections regarding firearms stored in their personal vehicles. Governor Chris Sununu signed a “guns at work” bill into law earlier this year that further expands the broad gun rights in the permitless carry state, once again sharpening the contrast with the strict gun safety measures enforced in other New England states. Covered employers must act now to ensure that their workplace safety policies and practices comply before the new law takes effect on January 1. We’ll explain everything you need to know and give you a five-step action plan. The New Requirements and Who Must Comply The New Hampshire bill enacted in July ( HB 1336 ) added a new section ( RSA 159:27 ) to the “Pistols and Revolvers” chapter of the state’s Public Safety and Welfare law. Starting Janua...