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Legal Updates

Employment Legislation Outlook – August 2025

Upcoming Changes to State Laws

With new state employment laws continuously being enacted, it can be challenging to keep up on each change and ensure that your policies and practices are compliant. We have your solution.

This monthly digest is designed to keep you apprised of upcoming major state law changes in areas including paid sick and safe leave laws, family and parental leave, recreational and medicinal marijuana use, workplace gun laws, asking candidates about salary history and unpredictable scheduling.

Here’s what’s on the horizon:

August 2025

  • Minneapolis expands workplace civil rights protections and reasonable accommodation obligations effective August 1.
  • Missouri repeals paid sick leave law effective August 28.

September 2025

  • Maine adopts pay requirement for reporting to work effective September 24.
  • Maine clarifies carryover requirements under paid leave law effective September 24.

October 2025

  • Michigan paid sick leave requirements for small businesses effective October 1.
  • Nebraska paid sick leave law (as amended) effective October 1.
  • Cleveland pay transparency law effective October 27.

2026

  • Colorado expands FAMLI benefits to NICU parents effective January 1.
  • Connecticut further expands paid sick leave eligibility effective January 1.
  • Delaware paid family and medical leave benefits begin January 1.
  • Illinois limits use of AI in hiring effective January 1.
  • Minnesota paid family leave contributions begin January 1.
  • Minnesota amends meal and rest break requirements effective January 1.
  • Oregon new hire notice requirements effective January 1.
  • Oregon expands uses for paid sick leave effective January 1.
  • Pittsburgh changes to paid sick leave law effective January 1.
  • Washington expands domestic violence leave law effective January 1.
  • Washington amends paid family and medical leave law effective January 1.
  • Maine paid family and medical leave benefits available May 1.
  • Washington expands “ban the box” law effective July 1.

2027

  • Connecticut paid sick leave law covers all employees effective January 1.
  • Maryland paid family and medical leave contributions begin January 1.
  • Washington expands Healthy Starts Act effective January 1.

2028

  • Maryland paid family and medical leave benefits begin January 3.

In case you missed it:

July 2025

  • Alaska paid sick leave requirements effective July 1.
  • Alaska captive audience ban effective July 1.
  • New Hampshire accommodations for nursing mothers effective July 1.
  • Chicago amends paid leave ordinance effective July 1.
  • New York City amends Earned Safe and Sick Time Act effective July 2.
  • Washington amends pay transparency law and employee access to personnel records effective July 27.
  • Washington mini-WARN Act law effective July 27.
  • New York repeals COVID-19 leave provisions effective July 31.

What to Watch:

In response to Missouri lawmakers’ decision to overturn a voter-approved expansion of paid sick leave, a coalition of organizations submitted a new initiative petition seeking to undermine the legislature’s ability to overturn voter-approved measures.

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