Compliance Stuff

The Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD’s) Board of Health voted unanimously on May 13 to advance a sweeping proposed rule that would require every employer in Allegheny County, regardless of size, to provide up to 18 weeks of job-protected and paid parental leave, as well as expand existing paid sick leave requirements. If the rule ultimately is adopted and becomes law, Allegheny County would become the first county in Pennsylvania to impose a paid parental leave mandate on private employers. We’ll explain everything you need to know and offer five practical steps you should consider taking now. What Did the Board of Health Actually Approve? The Board approved, for opening to public comment, a proposed amendment that would expand the paid sick leave rules in Article XXIV of the ACHD Rules and Regulations  and add in a new paid parental leave framework. This is the same regulatory vehicle the County used to enact its 2021 Paid Sick Leave Ordinance , and it reflects a delibe...

On April 27, a jury handed down what is reported to be the first verdict in Massachusetts validating a retaliation claim under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA). In Boyle v. Wayfair, LLC , the jury found that Wayfair retaliated against plaintiff Mary Boyle for taking PFMLA leave, despite Boyle’s poor — and well-documented — performance reviews that predated her leave. The verdict resulted in a $4.7 million award, including $4 million in punitive damages, $600,000 for emotional distress, and more than $75,000 in back pay, emphasizing the significant risk employers face when terminating employees within six months of their return from PFMLA leave.  The Six-Month Presumption and Its Evidentiary Burden  Typical claims of unlawful retaliation place the initial burden of proof on the employee, but not for adverse actions occurring within the six months following an employee’s return from PFMLA leave. In this window, the Massachusetts legislature codified a...

What does it mean to “step up” – and why does it matter? In this Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month episode of Littler Celebrates, Esther Redman, an associate in Littler’s Phoenix office, is joined by Angel Garrett, a shareholder in Littler’s San Francisco office, and Jordan Wada, an associate in Littler’s Seattle office, to discuss how bar associations and community involvement help build connection, confidence and career momentum. Grounded in this year’s AANHPI Heritage Month theme, Power in Unity: Strengthening Communities Together , the conversation explores how leadership often begins with small steps – mentoring a peer, raising a hand, or creating space for others. Along the way, they reflect on the lasting impact of history, the importance of representation, and how investing in others continues to shape the future of the legal profession. Listen on SoundCloud     |     All Littler Podcasts   Source(s): Celebrating A...

At a Glance The Policy Week in Review, prepared by Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute (WPI), sets forth WPI’s updates on federal legislation, regulations, and congressional activity affecting the workplace. DOL Rescinds Biden-Era Overtime Rule  On May 14, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued a technical amendment designed to unwind the Biden-era regulation and restore the 2019 Trump-era regulation establishing the salary level needed to qualify for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) “white collar” overtime exemptions. For further Littler analysis, read here . It is unclear if the DOL will revisit the 2019 rule and pursue a new rulemaking. Discharge Petition on “Faster Labor Contracts Act” Closer to 218-Signature Threshold As previously reported, the Discharge Petition (H.Res. 1140) filed by Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ) to bypass committee consideration and force a House floor vote on union-backed H.R. 5408, the “Faster Labor Contract...

Employees and employers are planning ahead for upcoming holidays like Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Paid company holidays are common, but the total number per year may vary by industry, location, or union status. 0:00 6:33 Quick Hits There are eleven federal holidays in 2026. Private employers are not legally obligated to provide paid holidays. Work performed by hourly, nonexempt employees on a holiday is compensable. Although federal law does not require private businesses to provide paid holidays , many companies voluntarily recognize certain federal holidays as paid holidays in order to boost recruiting, retention, and morale. Some companies choose to include paid holidays within their combined paid time off (PTO) policy, so that employees can pick which holidays they prefer to observe. In 2026, there are eleven federal holidays : New Year’s Day (January 1), Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (January 19), Inauguration Day (January 20), President’s Day (Febru...

Colorado lawmakers have completed their hotly anticipated rewriting of the state’s landmark artificial intelligence (AI) law . While the new law shifts compliance from a risk-based to a transparency-based approach, it maintains significant notice-and-disclosure obligations for employers (referred to as “deployers” in the law), requiring them to disclose to employees and job applicants when an AI tool was used to make an adverse employment decision. Quick Hits SB 26-189, Colorado’s new law “concerning the use of automated decision-making technology in consequential decisions,” mandates that employers disclose the use of “automated decision-making technology” (ADMT) when making adverse employment decisions. The law replaces the original Colorado Artificial Intelligence Act with a focus on specific notice and recordkeeping obligations for employers starting January 1, 2027. Employers must provide a clear pre-use notice of ADMT’s application and provide a disclosure to employees or job app...