In the latest Mississippi legislative session, several new laws have been signed and/or voted into effect that will likely impact employers throughout the state. The changing employment laws have recent developments that could involve public and private employers.

Mississippi Premium Pay Act

The state legislature passed a law called the Mississippi Premium Pay Act that allows for hazard pay during COVID. If any municipality or county paid their law enforcement or fire officials hazard pay, meaning the employees received an increase in pay for their work during the pandemic, then there is money available for public employers to get reimbursed for those payments.

If employers did not pay hazard pay, there is still ability for every certified law enforcement or fire official to get a $1,000 payment for their work during the ongoing pandemic. This allotment of funds was part of the money that they state received from the federal government and is earmarked for certified fire and police personnel.

Mississippi Equal Pay for Equal Work Act

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed into law the Mississippi Equal Pay for Equal Work Act in order to align with the Federal Equal Pay Act of 1963. This new law requires employers to pay the same wages to women as men under similar working conditions doing substantially equal work requiring the same skills, education, effort and responsibility.

The state law tracks the federal law in that pay decisions may be made based on the following...

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