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:
July 2026
- Tennessee noncompete ban for certain workers effective July 1.
- Virginia salary history ban and pay transparency law effective July 1.
- Virginia restrictions on noncompete covenants absent severance pay effective July 1.
- Washington expands “ban the box” law effective July 1.
- Significant expansions to the New Jersey Family Leave Act effective July 17.
- Nebraska “mini-WARN” act effective July 18.
- Maine pay range disclosure law effective July 29.
October 2026
- Connecticut pay transparency law and requirement to create an employee guide for pay codes effective October 1.
- Connecticut ban on employee promissory notes effective October 1.
- Connecticut expands employer obligations to provide reasonable lactation breaks on October 1.
2027
- California expands pay data reporting law effective January 1.
- Connecticut paid sick leave law covers all employees effective January 1.
- Maryland paid family and medical leave contributions begin January 1.
- Philadelphia amends Fair Practices Ordinance effective January 1 to prohibit workplace discrimination on the basis of menstruation, perimenopause and menopause.
- Washington expands Healthy Starts Act effective January 1.
- Connecticut employers are required to provide written notice of an employee’s right to reasonable accommodation in the workplace for a disability by January 29.
- Washington bans noncompete agreements effective June 30.
- Virginia paid sick leave law effective July 1.
2028
- Maryland paid family and medical leave benefits begin January 3.
- Virginia Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program contributions begin April 1.
- California expands employees’ eligibility to receive state paid family leave benefits to those who are taking time off work to care for a seriously ill “designated person” effective July 1.
- Virginia Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program benefits available December 1.
In case you missed it:
June 2026
- Illinois enacts unpaid parental leave for employees with a child who is a patient in a NICU on June 1.
- Chicago has finalized revised rules implementing its Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance effective June 1.
- Colorado implements new AI protections against discrimination effective June 30.
What to Watch:
The EEOC has released a new National Enforcement Plan for fiscal years 2025-2029, rescinding its Strategic Enforcement Plan for fiscal years 2024-2028. The new National Plan places greater emphasis on allegations of intentional discrimination and employment decisions that consider protected characteristics over systemic discrimination and disparate-impact theories.