Key Employment Law Compliance Requirements
By The GovDocs Team | May, 2025
Below is a summary of GovDocs’ East Coast and West Coast Compliance Guides.
Key Takeaways:
🔎 Employment law updates are frequent and vary by state: Each state—from East coast to West coast—has its own complex set of employment law regulations, requiring HR teams to stay informed and adaptive to jurisdictional differences.
💼 Minimum wage laws are increasing and becoming more specialized: Minimum wages vary significantly not just by state but also by region and industry.
📋 Frequent poster updates make ongoing monitoring essential: Labor law poster requirements are updated often, making it critical for employers to maintain up-to-date postings to avoid compliance issues.
Understanding and navigating state-specific employment laws is a crucial responsibility for HR teams.
GovDocs is here to help. Our recently updated guides focus on employment law regulations in key jurisdictions on the East and West Coasts, offering clear and concise details on various topics such as:
- Labor law poster obligations
- Minimum wage requirements
- Paid leave provisions
- Pay transparency mandates
- Meal and rest break laws
Keep scrolling for a sneak peek!
California Employment Law Highlights:
Labor Law Posters:
California has 88 posters as of May 2025 (including wage orders) currently active in GovDocs Labor Law Poster Program. Of these posters, there were seven mandatory updates (including Spanish updates) handed down in 2024, as well as 36 wage order updates last year.
Minimum Wage:
At the beginning of 2025, California’s minimum wage hit $16.50 for all employers. In addition to the standard wage rate, the Golden State passed a state-level fast food worker minimum wage of $20.00 and a healthcare worker minimum wage (multiple rates), which went into effect on April 1st and Oct 16th in 2024, respectfully.
Oregon Employment Law Highlights:
Labor Law Posters:
Oregon has 30 state-level labor law posters as of May 2025 in the GovDocs Labor Law Poster Program, and there were 11 mandatory updates in 2024.
Minimum Wage:
Oregon’s minimum wage could take the title as the most complex in the nation. It is governed by a unique system that is generally applied by county – the more densely populated an area is, the higher the rate. But the rates don’t perfectly align with county boundaries, making tracking and applying rates especially cumbersome for employers with locations in Oregon.
Washington Employment Law Highlights:
Labor Law Posters:
Washington had 1 mandatory update in 2024, but so far in 2025 there have been 2 mandatory updates. Washington has 1 county level poster and 15 city-level posters employers must continue to monitor in 2025.
Minimum Wage:
Washington’s minimum wage remains the highest in the nation and is currently set at $16.66 as of Jan. 1, 2025. Washington’s minimum wage law was enacted through a ballot referendum in 2016. It called for scheduled increases starting in 2017. The final scheduled bump to $13.50 was in 2020. Following a few years of scheduled increases, in 2021, Washington moved to indexed rates based on the applicable Consumer Price Index.
Massachusetts Employment Law Highlights:
Labor Law Posters:
Massachusetts has 9 state level posters as of May 2025 currently active in GovDocs Labor Law Poster Program. Of these, there were 4 mandatory updates (including Spanish updates) issued in 2024.
Minimum Wage:
The minimum wage in Massachusetts is $15.00 per hour. This wage rate has been in effect since Jan. 1, 2023, after the state gradually increased its minimum wage over several years until it hit the benchmark of $15.
New Jersey Employment Law Highlights:
Labor Law Posters:
New Jersey has 26 state-level labor law posters as of May 2025 in the GovDocs Labor Law Poster Program, and in 2024 there were 17 mandatory updates.
Minimum Wage:
New Jersey’s minimum wage is currently set at $15.49 for large employers (6 or more employees) and $14.53 for small employers (less than 6 employees) and seasonal employers. New Jersey’s minimum hourly wage is adjusted on an annual basis based on the applicable consumer price index.
New York Employment Law Highlights:
Labor Law Posters:
New York has 20 state posters as of May 2025 in GovDocs Labor Law Poster Program, which includes 7 wage orders. In 2024, New York had 15 mandatory updates to its posters and issued 1 new mandatory poster at the state level covering captive audience information.
Minimum Wage:
New York’s minimum wage requirements are broken down based on the region: New York City, Long Island & Westchester Counties, and then the remainder of New York State.
New York also has industry-specific wages. Specifically, the current minimum wage rate for home care aides as of Jan. 1, 2025, is $19.10 for New York City, Long Island, and Westchester Counties and $18.10 for the remainder of New York State.
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