| Summary: Effective October 1, 2021, An Act Deterring Age Discrimination in Employment Applications (Public Act 21-69), was signed into law which will limit an employer's ability to inquire as to a prospective employee's age "on an initial employment application". The new law will prohibit employers from asking a prospective employee's age, date of birth, or date of attendance at an educational institution. Exceptions to this act include employers who may require information related to bona fide occupational qualification or to comply with applicable state or federal laws.
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| Impact(s): Connecticut employers |
| Summary: Effective October 18, 2021, LD 1167 will prohibit employers from inquiring as to a prospective employee's criminal history or stating on the application form or advertisement that a person with a criminal history may not apply or be considered for the position. Exceptions to the new law include jobs where federal or state law, regulations or rules would disqualify an applicant.
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| Impact(s): Maine employers |
Summary: On July 29, 2021, Act No. 15-2021 amends Act No. 42, known as the Act to Manage the Study, Development and Research of Cannabis for Innovation, Applicable Standards and Limits, to expand protections for employees who are licensed medical cannabis patient. The Act now provides for any employee who identifies themselves as a registered and authorized medical cannabis patient to be a member of a protected class under employment laws. This means that an employer may not discriminate against individuals in this class during the process of recruitment, hiring, termination, or other employment conditions. There are certain exceptions to these protections if employer can prove the following:
- The use of medical cannabis represents a real threat of harm or danger to people or property;
- The use of medical cannabis by the registered and authorized patient interferes with essential job functions;
- The use of medical cannabis by the registered and authorized patient exposes the employer to the loss of any license, permit or certification related to any federal law, regulation, program or fund;
- The registered and authorized patient ingests or possesses medical cannabis in the workplace and/or during working hours without written authorization from the employer.
The Act goes into effect immediately.
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| Impact(s): Puerto Rico employers |
| Summary: Effective January 1, 2023, H5261A, S 0270A will amend Rhode Island's pay equity law. Notably, the new law will prohibit employers from relying on an applicant's wage history in deciding whether to consider them for the position or determine their wage if hired. In addition, employers cannot refuse to hire or otherwise retaliate against an applicant for declining to provide a wage history.
Once an employer offers a job to an applicant, the employer will be permitted to:
- Rely on the applicant's wage history to support a wage higher than the wage being offered, if the applicant voluntarily provided their wage history;
- Seek to confirm the wage history of the applicant to support a wage higher than the wage offered; and
- Rely on wage history to the extent the higher wage does not create an unlawful pay differential.
The new law also prohibits employers from reducing the wages of any employees to comply with the above provisions. Violation of this law may lead to penalties for unpaid wages, compensatory damages, and liquidated damages and civil penalties to the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.
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| Impact(s): Rhode Island employers |
