The fourth quarter is well underway. The new year will sneak up quickly and that means new laws that will affect both job seekers and employers.  From prenatal paid leave to paid sick leave increases, here is a list of some of the major upcoming changes.

Prenatal Paid Leave – New York State (January 1)

New York State will begin to require employers to provide up to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave for pregnant employees.  This is part of the state’s Paid Sick Leave program.  Time can be used for medical procedures, monitoring, and testing. Leave will be paid at 100% of the employee’s rate of pay.

Paid Sick Leave – Connecticut (January 1)

Connecticut will adopt major changes to its current paid sick leave law. Coverage will be expanded to all employers with 25+ employees as of January 1, 2025. The updated law broadens qualifying reasons for leave, updates the definition of a family member, and changes the waiting period to use time off as well as how time is accrued.

Freelance Workers Protection Act (January 1)

Private employers must pay independent contractors (freelancers) the agreed-upon compensation on or before an agreed upon date specified in the contract. Additionally, the law aims to provide independent contractors with “basic worker protections” – including the right to be paid on time.

Pay Transparency – Massachusetts (July 31)

Public and private employers with 25+ will be required to disclose pay ranges in job postings as well as provide the pay range for a position for someone who is offered a promotion or transfer.  This also applies to employees who are already employed for the position or applying for the position.  Reporting obligations will also go into effect for employers with 100+ employees.  Massachusetts joins several states and major municipalities who already have such laws on the books, including New York, California, and Colorado.

On the Horizon for 2025

Expect legislation come up across the country that supports additional employee privacy protection, expanded sick and paid family leave, and gig worker protections. Likewise, states are continuing to follow early adopters of salary range transparency and salary disclosure laws.

If you are interested in learning about specific laws that may apply to your hiring process,  reach out to info@talener.com. We can walk you through the impact that these new employment laws will have on your talent acquisition goals.