labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The controversial Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act of 2008 went into effect late in 2008 in the District of Columbia.

Human Resources professionals are watching closely because this new act requires employers to provide mandatory paid sick leave.

Such paid sick leave may become the next hot labor topic. Employers may comment on the new regulation. After that, the D.C. Department of Employment Services or DOES will release the regulations and their accompanying (and long-awaited) FAQ guidelines.

The new act actually went into effect November 13, 2008. The DOES, however, just recently issued regulations for employers to follow.

The new law mandates that all eligible employees working in the D.C. area must be given paid sick leave for any absences that are connected to either mental or (more…)

The minimum wage in the District of Columbia will climb 55 cents, from $7.00 to $7.55 per hour on July 24, 2008.

That’s because D.C. law requires that the minimum wage be $1 per hour more than the federal minimum wage. When the federal minimum wage increases from $5.85 to $6.55 in July, it will spark an increase in the D.C. minimum wage.

Up to a dozen states will increase the minimum wage to the same level as the federal minimum wage, including Virginia, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and North Dakota. The increase in the District of Columbia is the highest, however.

This increase is somewhat controversial (more…)