State Changes in Compensation Laws

In: Compensation and benefits review, Band 32, Heft 6, S. 41-53

Abstract

Compensation and benefits professionals bear responsibility for maintaining effective wage and benefit programs that comply with a complex tangle of federal and state labor laws. In their latest legislative sessions, most states passed new compensation-related legislation, and many made significant modifications. This article summarizes new legislation on compensation provisions, including laws that increased minimum wage rates in Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont. It also reviews laws that changed tip provisions, overtime requirements, minimum wage exemptions and prevailing wage rates. In addition, it covers changes in state statutes on employment discrimination based on genetic testing and sexual orientation and new laws regulating electronic surveillance in the workplace. Other state law changes in requirements for jury duty pay, family leave and drug and alcohol testing are also summarized. Several states passed legislation that protects employers who provide information on former employees to other employers who are screening job applicants. These new laws are described along with new provisions protecting whistleblowers and some significant changes in child labor laws. Compensation professionals should carefully review the legislative changes for all of the states in which their companies employ workers to ensure compliance at the state law level.