CHANGES TO STATUTORY DISABILITY PLANS IN CALIFORNIA & NEW JERSEY

Effective January 1, 2012, there will be a number of changes to the statutory disability plans in California and New Jersey.

In California, the maximum weekly benefit amount for State Disability Insurance (SDI) and Paid Family Leave (PFL) will increase from $987 to $1,011.

VAGUE NEW TEXAS PRIVACY LAW GOES INTO EFFECT

A broad privacy law with many uncertain aspects has now gone into effect in Texas.  The law imposes substantial new requirements on any entity that handles health information.  The way the law is written, it is extraterritorial in nature and purports to apply to every part of an entity doing business in Texas.

UPDATE ON STATE AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENTS

Anyone who has worked for or with a multi-state employer knows that one of the most difficult aspects of absence management is keeping up with changes in state and local laws.   This posting is an effort to provide some of the more recent information about changes in state and local laws, including case law. 

Update on Same-Sex Marriage and Civil Unions

Earlier this year, this blog reported that Hawaii and Illinois had passed legislation recognizing civil unions.  Since then, Delaware and Rhode Island have also recognized civil unions and New York has recognized same-sex marriage.

CONNECTICUT BECOMES FIRST STATE TO MANDATE PAID SICK LEAVE

On July 5, 2011, Governor Malloy signed legislation making Connecticut the first state to mandate that certain employers provide paid sick leave.  The new law takes effect on January 1, 2012.

VERMONT’S GOVERNOR SIGNS SINGLE-PAYER BILL

On May 26, 2011, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed into law a bill designed to set the state on the path to crafting the first single-payer insurance system in the nation. The new law lays out three tasks: immediate efforts to control health care costs, creation of a Health Insurance Exchange, and detailed planning to implement a single-payer system.