Less than one year ago, the Virginia Overtime Wage Act (VOWA) took effect dramatically diverting the state’s overtime pay laws from its long-standing reliance on the federal standards set forth in the Fair Labor Standard Act. Come July 1 of this year, Virginia will again align its overtime standards with the federal standard. The VOWA…
Read More »Legislation has been approved by the Hawaiian Senate – and a slightly different version was given preliminary approval in the House – both of which will kick up the minimum wage in the Aloha State to $18/hour over the next few years. Currently, the state minimum is $10.10 per hour, but that will change rather…
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In this article, I have to ask your indulgence a little bit. As a political scientist by education, I always tend to look at the political winds that blow across the electoral landscape as an abundance of teachable moments. The famous 1948 Chicago Tribune headline “Dewey Defeats Truman” should have taught all journalists to wait…
Read More »As President Obama said to the Republican Congressional leadership back in the wake of his 2012 reelection, “Elections Matter!” As the labor shortage worsens and inflation is again rearing its ugly head, it is important for us all to remember that reality. Elections do matter, and even though this race or that campaign may not…
Read More »Aside from minimum wage increases, the calendar is replete with different changes on a seemingly monthly basis that you need to be aware of. Among these, we would point out that a change in employment law took effect yesterday in the Commonwealth of Virginia imposing a requirement that most employers must now include information in…
Read More »Virginia employers have more negative hits on their horizon. The minimum wage, which jumped $2.25 per hour to $9.50 on May 1, 2021, is slated to rise by another $1.50 to $11/hour on January 1, 2022; and then another $1 in 2023 to $12/hour. However, if the General Assembly chooses to reenact these rate increases…
Read More »On the first of May, the minimum wage in Virginia will exceed the federal minimum for the first time, rising from the current $7.25 per hour to $9.50 an hour. The Old Dominion is one of only five that will raise their minimum wage before next January with Connecticut 8/1/21, Florida 9/1/21, Nevada 8/1/21 and…
Read More »According to a federal District Court in Virginia, the use of salary history in employment decisions is a reasonable – and legal – tool for employers to consider in making employment decisions. Early this month, the court applied a precedent set by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (Spenser v. Virginia State University) versus a…
Read More »Staying out west for the moment, on January 25, the Seattle City Council voted – unanimously – to pass an ordinance mandating that certain grocery store employees receive hazard pay during the COVID-19 pandemic. The City of Seattle minimum wage is currently $16.69 per hour and the hazard pay mandate will add $4 for each…
Read More »The Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board has voted to approve a Final Permanent Standard (Final Standard) related to COVID-19. It is anticipated that Governor Northam will soon approve the Final Standard, which sets forth health and safety requirements related to COVID-19 for all Virginia employers and is expected become effective on January 27, 2021.…
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