It is becoming very difficult to keep up with the legislative changes in workplace laws, given the current trend for the feds to step back and let the states and municipalities set the law specific to their jurisdictions.
This is especially problematic for multi-state employers (those with operations in multiple states). But even employers operating in only one state need to be aware of variances between local laws.
This ranges from minimum wage to paid sick leave, from right to work to weapons bans, from tobacco use to marijuana use, from overtime pay to mandatory break-time. Every day it seems that another state or local law change pops up, superseding or in place of federal law (where no federal law exists, such as non-compete agreements).
A current SHRM article discusses the battle in Texas between state and local (Austin and Dallas) lawmakers over paid sick leave. And forget California……there are enough local employment laws there to keep HR professionals busy into the next Millenium.
I believe that this trend towards less federal power over state rights needs to be carefully examined by the lawmakers in DC. We are still the United States, are we not?
