July 1 Brings New Employment Law Requirements

Author: Ashley Shaw, XpertHR Legal Editor

July 2, 2015

Many new employment laws took effect on July 1, 2015. The laws range from Mississippi's new texting while driving law to the new OSHA HazCom requirements affecting manufacturer labels. An employer needs to check the new laws in its state and ensure that it is following any changed compliance requirements.

Some of the major laws that were newly amended or enacted apply to state and local paid sick leave and minimum wage requirements.

The California paid sick leave law is now in effect. Under this law, California employees who work at least 20 days in a year may begin to accrue an hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. The employees may collect three days (24 hours) of sick leave per year. Employees may use accrued sick leave beginning on the 90th day of employment.

In addition to the state law in California, the City of Emeryville has enacted its own paid sick leave requirements. Employees who work at least two hours in a calendar week within the city limits are entitled to accrue up to 48 hours when working for an employee with 55 or fewer employees or 72 hours when working for an employer with more than 55 employees.

Massachusetts's paid sick leave law has also taken effect. Under this law, any employee in the state working for an employer with at least 11 employees will begin to accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. An employee may begin to accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick leave.

Minimum Wage

Several states and municipalities have enacted new minimum wages.

  • Maryland: $8.25
  • District of Columbia: $10.50
  • Chicago, Illinois: $10.00
  • Louisville / Jefferson County, Kentucky: $7.75
  • Mountain View, California: $10.30
  • Emeryville, California employers with 55 or fewer employees: $12.25
  • Emeryville, California employers with 56 or more employees: $14.44

In Los Angeles, California, hotels with 300 or more guest rooms or suites of rooms and hotels within the Airport Hospitality Enhancement Zone with 50 or more guest rooms or suites of rooms must follow a new paid sick leave law as well as comply with a new minimum wage of $15.37.