Podcast: What Key 2018 Ballot Measures Mean for the Workplace
Voter turnout for the 2018 midterm election hit a 50-year high, as the fate of both the House of Representatives and the Senate hung in the balance. But with attention focused on several hotly contested races, there were some notable state ballot initiatives that employers should not overlook.
On this podcast, XpertHR Legal Editors David Weisenfeld and Beth Zoller discuss several key measures that passed in the election's aftermath, including:
- Expanded transgender rights in Massachusets;
- Minimum wage increases in Arkansas and Missouri;
- Recreational marijuana legalization in Michigan; and
- Medical marijuana legalization in Missouri and Utah.
All of these ballot initiatives are part of broader trends and may encourage other states to follow suit. For instance, Florida, Nevada and North Dakota are already considering adding proposed minimum wage increases to the ballot in 2020. Meanwhile, other states are weighing marijuana legalization measures, either through ballot initiatives or on the legislative front.
Other significant developments included the election of the first openly bisexual woman to the US Senate (Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema) and the election of the first openly gay US governor (Colorado's Jared Polis).
Additional Resources
Arkansas, Missouri Vote to Raise Minimum Wage
Recreational Marijuana Legalized in Michigan; Medical Usage Approved in Missouri, Utah
