By Jennifer L. Mora

Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 25, 2022, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed “The Rhode Island Cannabis Act,” which grants adults aged 21 and older the right to possess and grow certain amounts of cannabis for recreational use. Retail sales are expected to begin as early as December 1, 2022. The new law, which is effective
Continue Reading Rhode Island Legalizes Cannabis for Recreational Use

By Jeffrey A. Wortman and Christopher Im

Seyfarth Synopsis: California Governor Brown signed into law last week Assembly Bill No. 2282 to clarify previously passed legislation that prohibits inquiries into an applicant’s salary history. Read on for a recap of Assembly Bill No. 2282.

When AB 168 was signed into law in October 2017, California prohibited employers from asking job
Continue Reading California Attempts to Clarify Salary History Ban Legislation

By Michael Fleischer, Jean Wilson, and Barry Miller

Synopsis: Massachusetts Attorney General investigates 70 employers (both large and small – across all industries), citing 21 of them for violating the state’s “ban the box” law, which prohibits most businesses from asking about job candidates’ criminal backgrounds on initial employment applications.

Last week, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healy
Continue Reading Mass. AG on the Lookout for Prohibited Criminal History Inquiries

By: Jennifer Mora, Jean Wilson and Barry Miller

Synopsis: Effective October 13, 2018, Massachusetts employers will no longer be permitted to inquire about certain misdemeanor convictions and sealed or expunged records for employment purposes.

Almost ten years ago, Massachusetts became the second state, following Hawaii, to enact a “ban-the-box” law, so-called because they require employers to remove from job
Continue Reading Another Change to Massachusetts’ Ban-the-Box Law

By Jennifer L. Mora and Pamela Q. Devata

Seyfarth Synopsis: Michigan Governor Rick Snyder recently signed a bill that will prohibit counties and cities from enacting “ban-the-box” ordinances or other restrictions on the ability of private employers to inquire about criminal history early in the hiring process.”

On March 26, 2018, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed Senate Bill 0353
Continue Reading Michigan Bans Local Ban-the-Box Laws

By Michael Wahlander

Seyfarth Synopsis: Within the last few years, the California Legislature has amended laws related to an employee’s right to inspect personnel records, intending to ensure employees have access to those records. Since then, employers have seen more such requests, claims made before the Labor Commissioner, and even lawsuits over production of personnel files. We offer here
Continue Reading The Peculiar “Personnel-ity” of California Personnel File Inspection Laws

By Pamela Q. Devata, Robert T. Szyba, Alnisa Bell, and Ephraim J. Pierre

Seyfarth Synopsis: As cities across the nation adopt “ban the box” legislation that regulates private employers’ ability to inquire into applicants’ and employees’ criminal histories, employers face a nuanced gauntlet of compliance issues. This post briefly reviews recent developments in New York City, Philadelphia,
Continue Reading Trends In the “Ban the Box” Movement: Recent Developments In City Ordinances

By Maria Papasevastos and Nadia Bandukda

On Monday, the New Jersey Assembly approved a pay equity bill that would amend the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination to strengthen protections against pay discrimination in the workplace.

The bill already passed the Senate last month, and is now being sent to Governor Christie’s desk.  While Christie has vetoed or conditionally vetoed similar
Continue Reading New Jersey Legislature Fist Pumps for Pay Equity

By Dawn Solowey

In the wake of Paris and San Bernandino, the EEOC has issued new “Questions and Answers” for employers concerning workers who are, or are perceived to be, Muslim or Middle Eastern.  The agency issued companion questions and answers for employees.

It’s a timely topic as employers seek to protect all employees’ rights at a time
Continue Reading Post-Paris and San Bernandino: The EEOC Weighs In on Anti-Muslim Workplace Discrimination

By Pamela Q. Devata, Robert T. Szyba, and Ephraim J. Pierre

SCOTUSFollowing the U.S. Supreme Court’s grant of certiorari on April 27, 2015 in Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins, No. 13-1339 (which we reported here), the Petitioner has weighed in with their brief.

As you may recall, the question before the Court has the potential to determine
Continue Reading Spokeo, Inc. v. Robins: Petitioner Argues If There Is No Actual Injury-in-Fact, Plaintiff Lacks Standing to Sue