The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics are officially here, and this year is full of milestones – from the Olympic debut of “breaking” (you may call it breakdancing) to equal participation rates by male and female athletes for the...more
The childcare industry has long been a crucial pillar of the U.S. economy, enabling parents to work and contributing significantly to national stability. However, the past decade has seen unprecedented challenges,...more
In response to the challenges of low labor force participation rates, the Alabama Legislature has introduced the Working for Alabama legislative package. This initiative began in 2019 when Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth...more
With Mother’s Day coming up on May 12, it is a great time for companies to review their workplace policies regarding working moms, and update or supplement them as needed....more
On 30 January 2024, the Ministry of Women and Child Development released national minimum standards for crèches (daycare facilities). The standards (the ‘NMSPC’) provides a comprehensive framework for setting up and managing...more
WELCOME TO THE RUDER WARE CAPITOL SNAPSHOT - - The ever-changing landscape of state government requires businesses across all industries to stay informed on the happenings in Madison. As such, our public affairs team...more
Both Maryland and Virginia have joined the District of Columbia in enacting laws relating to paid family and medical leave for private-sector workers. Following in the footsteps of the District of Columbia, the Maryland law...more
An amendment to the Employment of Women Law, which went into effect on March 14, 2022, expands night shift work arrangements to include single parents. Any employee or candidate for employment who is a single parent (as...more
Under Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Order 21-15, the state of public health emergency due to COVID-19 will continue in Oregon until December 31, 2021, unless the governor extends the deadline or terminates the state...more
Two and a half weeks beyond the 110th calendar day of the session, the 2021 session of the 89th General Assembly of Iowa adjourned sine die just before midnight on Wednesday, May 19. Originally slated to end April 30,...more
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provides for 100% premium assistance to certain qualified beneficiaries for continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) for periods of...more
Biden Releases American Families Plan - This week, the White House released an outline of its American Families Plan, which is being touted as the second phase of the administration’s infrastructure proposal (dubbed the...more
Effective July 1, 2021, Virginia joins the District of Columbia and many other states with paid leave for designated workers (Virginia’s Paid Sick Leave Law), home health workers in this case. Paid sick leave is compensated...more
In January 2021, legislators introduced the “Raise the Wage Act of 2021,” to increase the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour by 2025. If passed, it would be the first increase in more than a decade, the...more
It’s no secret that the hardships associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have not dispersed evenly throughout our society. Small businesses bore the brunt of the economic fallout caused by drastic changes in consumer behavior...more
Though employers may feel like California just wrapped up its legislative session for 2020, the 2021 legislative session is already in full swing. February 19 was the last day for the proposal of new bills. However, Assembly...more
Last Thursday, Assembly Bill 1179 was introduced to require California employers with 1,000 or more to provide “backup ” for children under 14. To be eligible for the benefit, employees who work in California would need to...more
U.S. businesses and employees responded remarkably to the abrupt shift to at-home working brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, many of the workplace changes brought about by necessity are likely to remain, even...more
Both chambers gaveled in for the third week of the legislative session, despite a massive snowstorm that dumped historic levels of snow across most of Iowa and the Des Moines metro. While the emphasis this week was...more
The State of New Jersey has not taken a one size fits all approach in return to school plans for the 2020-2021 school year. The New Jersey Department of Education (“NJDOE”) has received approximately 800 different plans for...more
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published new FAQs on August 27, 2020, for employers about paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) related to the re-opening of schools. The guidance...more
How can employers assist working parents during the fall school year? This is one of the top questions on the minds of management and employees as the fall school year begins....more
On July 27, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chile enacted legislation for parents on parental leave and for parents and caregivers of children born in or after 2013 (i.e., seven years of age or younger). Specifically, the...more
On August 3, 2020, in a lawsuit filed by the State of New York, United States District Court Judge J. Paul Oetken of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued an opinion and order (Order)...more
As COVID-19 continues to prompt many school districts and daycare centers to remain closed for on-site instruction and care this Fall, this creates a serious dilemma for working parents. Employers are struggling to meet...more