Over the past year, workers across the country have won the right to request pregnancy accommodations and pump breastmilk at work without fear of repercussions. As states have slowly passed benefits like paid leave, many workers have also gained the right to take paid time off when caring for a new child or recovering from an illness. In January, millions of workers are being awarded pay increases when the minimum wage is boosted across 22 states.
Looking ahead, some of these trends — such as states enacting laws that secure paid leave and salary transparency — will likely continue into the new year. Employers will have to watch for how federal agencies exercise their enforcement powers, from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issuing its interpretation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to the Securities and Exchange Commission cracking down on companies that exploit nondisclosure agreements. And as always, a new crop of state-level employment laws will go into effect next year that shape workplace policies and the hiring market.
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A recent Fast Company article highlights what that could mean for workers and employers alike:
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