Montgomery County, Md., Earned Sick and Safe Time Law Effective Oct. 1
Montgomery County, Md.’s, Earned Sick and Safe Time Law, which we covered earlier this year, goes into effect Oct. 1.
Under the law, employees who work nine hours or more per week are eligible to accrue paid time off to care for themselves or family members in cases of illness, preventative medical care, or in response to sexual violence or stalking.
When an employee uses accrued earned sick and safe leave, the employer must pay the same rate and provide the same benefits the employee normally earns.
For details on the law and posting requirements, see our April 13 post Montgomery County, Maryland, New Earned Sick and Safe Time.
Berkeley, CA, Passes Ordinance to Raise Minimum Wage, Add Paid Sick Leave Laws
The City of Berkeley, California, passed an ordinance Aug. 31 that amends its current minimum wage law, and adds a new paid sick leave law.
Here are the details of both laws, which go into effect Oct. 1, 2017:
Amended Minimum Wage Law
The new law increases Berkeley’s minimum wage to $12.53 per hour in October 2016, $13.25 in October 2017 and $15 by October 2018. It will take effect even though an existing measure on the city’s November ballot would raise it to $13.25 in October 2017, $14.05 in October 2018 and $15 by October 2019.
Furthermore, in response to strong public opinion that the $15 wage wouldn’t be implemented quickly enough, the ballot also includes a second, union-backed measure raising the minimum wage to $15 in October 2017.
What does this all mean? According to Anne Jakala, GovDocs Compliance Counsel, the new minimum wage law is technically in effect until and unless one of the two ballot measures passes, upon which that ballot will become law.
Under all options, the minimum wage will not be affected until October 2017. The minimum wage will increase to $12.53 Oct. 1, 2016, as outlined on the current minimum wage posting.
New Paid Sick Leave Law
Berkeley’s New Paid Sick Leave Law raises employees’ maximum leave to 72 hours. The above-mentioned measures on the city’s November 2016 ballot also have a paid sick leave component.
Are Postings Required?
Berkeley’s current minimum wage law requires a posting, as will the new paid sick leave ordinance. Since the latter doesn’t go into effect until Oct. 1. 2017, GovDocs doesn’t anticipate a posting will be required until that time.
We’ll continue to monitor this and communicate any developments as they occur.
Wyoming Updates Maximum Penalties in Health and Safety Protection on the Job Posting
Wyoming has updated the maximum penalties in its Health and Safety Protection on the Job posting, announced Aug. 17.
The posting outlines the state’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, which provides job health and safety protection for workers employed across the state, with the exception of a few areas (e.g., ship repairing, ship building, ship breaking, long-shoring).
These maximum penalties, which increase Feb. 1, 2017, result from a Congressional act requiring federal agencies to index civil penalties by the inflation rate, with a one-time catch up provision. The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services (DWS), operating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) state plan, is required to adopt maximum penalty levels that are at least as effective as federal OSHA penalties.
This marks the first federal OSHA penalty increase since 1990. The one-time catch-up will increase penalties by 78 percent – from $7,000-$70,000 to $12,471-$124,709 – and will be adjusted annually for inflation. Penalties assessed on or after Feb. 1, 2017 will be subject to the new fine structure, pending final approval of the rule by the OSHA Commission.
For details on the Wyoming Health and Safety Protection on the Job posting changes, updated maximum penalties, etc. see the Aug. 17 announcement.