STATE AND LOCAL UPDATE

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 leave laws.

OSHA Finalizes Rule on Penalties

Do your employees need personal protective equipment (PPE) such as earplugs and goggles for their work? The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently published a final rule clarifying substantial penalties when employers fail to provide PPE or train for its use.

State Disability Insurance Changes

The New Year will bring some changes to State Disability Insurance programs.

Handbook May Grant Leave to Employee not Eligible for FMLA

Earlier this year, the 7^th Circuit Court of Appeals decided a case with significant implications for all employers. It said that statements in an employee handbook and correspondence to employees may grant them rights beyond those to which they are entitled under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Sick Leave Measure Will Not be on Ohio Ballot

An article in the Columbus Dispatch indicates that a measure calling for mandatory sick days will not be on the ballot in Ohio in November.  Below is a link to the article:

http://www.dispatchpolitics.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/09/04/sickday.html?adsec=politics&sid=101

California Sick Leave Bill Appears Dead

Today (August 8, 2008), the Los Angeles Times reported that a bill to require employers to provide sick leave died.  The article said the bill had been sidetracked when the Senate Appropriations Committee determined it was too expensive.  The Assembly passed AB 2716 in May.