On February 21, 2025, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 8 and House Bill 4002, which, effective immediately, revise minimum wage, tip, and paid sick leave standards Michigan employers were expecting to take effect...more
2/25/2025
/ Employee Benefits ,
Employment Policies ,
Governor Whitmer ,
Labor Reform ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Paid Leave ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Sick Leave ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Wage and Hour
On September 18, 2024, at the request of the State of Michigan and its attorney general, the Michigan Supreme Court clarified issues relating to future minimum wage rates and minimum cash wage rates for tip-credit employees...more
9/19/2024
/ Constitutional Challenges ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Food Service Workers ,
MI Supreme Court ,
Minimum Wage ,
Restaurant Industry ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
On July 31, 2024, the Michigan Supreme Court, in a 4-to-3 decision, found unconstitutional legislative amendments that significantly revised minimum wage, tip, and paid sick leave standards....more
8/7/2024
/ Constitutional Challenges ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Labor Reform ,
Medical Leave ,
MI Supreme Court ,
Minimum Wage ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
Executive Summary -
2024 promises to be a consequential year for employers. The U.S. is preparing for an election that will likely have a significant impact on the future of employment and labor law. At the same time,...more
5/8/2024
/ Annual Reports ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Bias ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employees ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Labor Law Violations ,
State Labor Laws ,
Surveys
Introduction -
As headlines in The New York Times and other major news media tout increases in the number of employed non-farm workers, a deeper dive reflects that the labor force participation rate in June was 62.6% for...more
I. Introduction -
A. Artificial Intelligence Arrives in Everyday Life – The Release of ChatGPT -
Generative AI, which is a type of artificial intelligence that can produce or create new content, has already started to...more
Executive Summary -
Widespread economic uncertainty. Evolving workforce expectations. Accelerating use of artificial intelligence (AI). A shifting patchwork of local, state and federal regulations.
Numerous headwinds...more
5/10/2023
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Leave of Absence ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Remote Working ,
State Labor Laws ,
Telecommuting ,
Wage and Hour
On January 26, 2023, a three-judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals issued a ruling regarding Michigan’s minimum wage, tip, and paid sick and safe time laws. In 2018 the Michigan state legislature overhauled revisions...more
On July 19, 2022, a state judge in Michigan’s Court of Claims held that the state legislature violated the Michigan Constitution in 2018 when, during a lame-duck session, it overhauled revisions to Michigan’s minimum wage and...more
7/21/2022
/ Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Labor Reform ,
Minimum Wage ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Safe Leave ,
Sick Leave ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
On Thursday, October 28, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced the launch of an initiative aimed at ensuring that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology-driven tools utilized...more
Executive Summary -
The COVID-19 pandemic required nearly every employer around the globe to take stock of its workforce, policies and practices, and adapt to a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment. COVID-19...more
In the wake of the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision invalidating the law that served as the basis for Governor Whitmer’s emergency COVID-19 orders since April 30, 2020, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health...more
In light of the Michigan Supreme Court’s March 2, 2020 order nullifying over 100 of the governor’s COVID-19 executive orders, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) continues to issue health-related...more
10/12/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) issued an emergency order prohibiting certain gatherings and mandating masks, partially filling the gap created by the Michigan Supreme Court’s October 2, 2020...more
On October 2, 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945 (EPGA), MCL 10.31, et seq., was an unconstitutional delegation of power by the legislative branch to the...more
On June 1, 2020, Michigan Governor Whitmer issued an Executive Order moving the entire state of Michigan to Stage 4 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan and setting the stage for most businesses to resume operations....more
On May 19, 2020, Michigan Governor Whitmer issued two Executive Orders. The first Executive Order establishes requirements for previously idled businesses as they reopen in the state....more
On May 7, 2020, Michigan Governor Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-77, extending her April 3, 2020 Stay Home, Stay Safe Order through May 28, 2020, while setting forth a plan to reopen the state in phases as part of the...more
Without a doubt, employers across the globe are contending with myriad issues to keep their employees safe and employed as businesses start to reopen, and Michigan is no exception. In this Insight we provide an update on...more
On April 24, 2020, Michigan Governor Whitmer issued an Executive Order extending her April 3, 2020 Stay Home, Stay Safe Order through May 15, 2020, while providing rules for certain businesses permitted to resume operations....more
On April 3, 2020, Michigan Governor Whitmer issued an Executive Order prohibiting employers from discharging, disciplining, or otherwise retaliating against an employee for staying home from work because the employee tests...more
The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) has issued guidance further tightening the protocols governing in-home caregivers for older adults to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the vulnerable individuals...more
On March 23, 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued an Executive Order requiring all individuals currently living in the State of Michigan to stay home or at their place of residence, and prohibiting private...more
On December 18, 2019, the Michigan Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision on whether the Michigan legislature’s strategy to enact two ballot proposals (one concerning paid sick leave and the other minimum wage) and...more
On December 14, 2018, Michigan’s employment law landscape dramatically changed—again—when Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (R) signed Senate Bills (SB) 1171 and 1175. ...more
12/20/2018
/ Lame Duck Session ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Sick Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip-Pooling ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour