Hey Compliance Warriors!
Check out the latest news post-election! Read on…
Arizona Passes Initiative to Allow Recreational Marijuana UseArizona 2020 voters decidedly adopted Proposition 207 – The Smart and Safe Arizona Act – which legalizes the possession and use of marijuana by adults age 21 and over for recreational or non-medicinal use. The initiative passed with roughly a 20% margin. This means that Arizona will join the 14 other jurisdictions that have made adult recreational marijuana use legal under local law. Arizona lawmakers have until April 5, 2021, to promulgate implementing regulations. Qualified early applicants (likely including existing medical marijuana dispensaries) can begin applying for retail licenses with the Arizona Department of Health Services in January 2021, and these licenses could be awarded as early as February 1, 2021. Learn More |
Florida Passes Amendment 2, Gradually Increasing Florida’s Minimum Wage to $15 an HourOn November 3, 2020, Florida voters approved Amendment 2, which will amend Florida’s constitution to gradually increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2026. In Florida, a constitutional amendment must be passed by a “super-majority” (equal to or greater than 60%). Amendment 2 passed with 60.8% of the vote. Florida joins California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York to become the eighth state in the country to raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next several years. Currently, Florida’s minimum wage is $8.56 an hour, $1.31 higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Learn More |
Oregon OSHA Issues Sweeping Temporary COVID-19 Safety Rules for EmployersOn Friday, November 6, the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OR-OSHA) released the final Temporary Rule Addressing COVID-19 Workplace Risks. The Rule takes effect November 16, 2020, and requires all employers operating in Oregon to comply with a number of COVID-19-related mandatory health and safety standards. In addition to clarifying standards on expected topics like physical distancing, face coverings, and workplace sanitation practices, the Rule requires (among other things) that employers conduct a COVID-19 exposure risk assessment, create an infection control plan, and establish a process to quickly notify employees if they have had work-related contact with someone who later tested positive for COVID-19. The Rule also places special requirements on workplaces with “exceptional risks” of exposure, such as direct patient care and emergency first responder activities. Learn More |
Warning to New York Employers: The NY WARN Act Now Requires WARN Notices be Sent to Additional Governmental RecipientsOn November 11, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law Assembly Bill A10674a. The legislation, which took effect immediately, amended the New York Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act by substantially expanding the list of governmental entities that must receive advance notice of a WARN-triggering event. Learn More |
CDC Finds That Cloth Face Masks Provide Personal ProtectionSince the beginning of April, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that, when in public settings, individuals wear cloth face masks to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. On November 10, 2020, the CDC turned the scientific community – and the businesses community – on its head. Via a scientific brief, the CDC updated its cloth face mask recommendation, now stating that, in addition to helping reduce the transmission of the virus by the wearer (i.e., source control), a cloth face mask can also provide a level of personal protection to the wearer. Learn More |
Colorado Department of Labor Makes a U-Turn on Motor Carrier ExemptionOn November 10, 2020, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Division of Labor Standards and Statistics (Division) published the final Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards Order Number 37 (COMPS Order 37), which takes effect on January 1, 2021. COMPS Order 37 significantly expands the state Motor Carrier Exemption (MCE) in Colorado, although it remains more limited than under federal law. Learn More |
Until Next Time,
Lisa Smith, SPHR
About LISA SMITH, SPHR
Lisa Smith is CEO of Andere Corporation and Chief Content Developer at HelpDeskSuites.com. Follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn, listen to her Small Business Spoonfuls Podcast, and find more in her Compliance Warriors Facebook Group.