In 2019, we saw significant trends in the adoption of paid leave (and specifically paid family leave), marijuana legalization, and predictable scheduling laws in both the private and public sectors—trends that will continue through 2020.
As to paid leave, legislation varies from Oregon’s 12 weeks of paid leave (to take effect in 2023) to Nevada’s 40 hours of paid leave (effective January 1, 2020).
With more states legalizing marijuana, expect an increase in associated employee protections (e.g., prohibiting pre-employment marijuana testing). Nevada and New York have already moved to enact laws that prohibit employers from rejecting a job applicant based on a failed marijuana test.
At least one state and several major cities have adopted predictable scheduling laws, most recently in Chicago and Philadelphia, with more municipalities expected to follow suit. Federal legislation has also been introduced.
Business Takeaway: While many of these trends have not been widely adopted, your business may nonetheless soon be affected. For instance, while some localities appear unlikely to even consider paid leave legislation in the near future, individual companies may still implement such policies for purposes of talent attraction and retention. Large companies that operate in multiple cities/states impacted by these changes may also apply such policies to all locations. How would these trends impact your business?
