Labor Law Updates

You're keeping current with all labor law postings impacting your business, so you're fully compliant, right? Not necessarily. Beyond workplace postings, U.S. employers must also distribute notifications directly to employees under specific circumstances. These mandatory employee handouts are often overlooked, which can put your business at risk.

Starting a business takes more than registering your company and hiring your first employee. The moment you become an employer, new business labor law requirements apply to you, including federal, state and local workplace postings and employee notices. Getting them right from the start is far easier and less expensive than fixing problems after an employee complaint or a regulator comes calling.

Up-to-date labor law posters are only part of the compliance picture for employers. You must also provide specific legal notifications, known as employee handouts, to keep employees informed of their rights and responsibilities. These requirements are growing, and they reach further than most employers expect.

Workplace postings and employee notices serve the same broad purpose: keeping employees informed of their legal rights and responsibilities under federal, state and local laws. But they are not interchangeable — and treating them as such can leave your business exposed.

Handling a time-off request under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is rarely straightforward. Unlike standard PTO requests, FMLA leave involves a web of federal, state and local regulations that many business owners find difficult to interpret and apply consistently. With a deeper understanding of the rules and a fair approach, you can keep your company in compliance. Here are nine real-world FMLA leave scenarios and what you should do to stay on the right side of the law.