Latest Highlights

The District of Columbia has enacted the COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (the "Act"), which temporarily expands the D.C. Family and Medical Leave Act (DCFMLA) and temporarily expands eligibility for unemployment benefits for employees impacted by COVID-19. The law is effective immediately and is set to expire on June 15, 2020, but it could be extended through further legislation.

Virginia has enacted legislation (House Bill 1514) that amends the definition of racial discrimination to include traits historically associated with race, including hair texture, hair type, and certain hairstyles. House Bill 1514 takes effect July 1, 2020.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the City of Philadelphia expanded its paid sick leave ordinance and postponed its predictive scheduling law.

Oregon has enacted a temporary rule that expands the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) to cover certain situations that may arise as a result of COVID-19. The rule is in effect from March 18, 2020 through at least September 13, 2020.

The State of New York has enacted legislation (Senate Bill 8091) that provides paid leave to employees subject to a quarantine or isolation order as a result of COVID-19.

New Jersey has enacted legislation (Assembly Bill 3848) to prohibit employers from retaliating against an employee for taking time off due to illness during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Maine has enacted legislation (Legislative Document 1986) that clarifies a recent law that generally prohibits employers from seeking social security numbers from prospective employees on employment applications.

The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) has issued an emergency rule requiring employers to file partial unemployment claims online on behalf of their employees who are temporarily laid off or whose hours have been temporarily reduced because of a lack of work due to coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) has published an emergency rule that temporarily requires employers in certain industries to provide paid sick leave to employees with flu-like symptoms who are being tested for coronavirus (COVID-19).

The emergency rule took effect immediately on March 11, 2020 and will remain in effect for 30 days, or longer if the state of emergency declared by the governor continues.

The California Supreme Court has ruled that employers must pay employees covered under California Wage Order 7 for the time they spend on the employer's premises waiting for, and undergoing, required exit searches.