A New Year means new laws for employers
Employers should be aware of the following changes that went into effect, in New Jersey and nationally, as of January 1, 2020.
New 2020 National Employment Law
The United States Department of Labor’s final overtime rule, raising the salary threshold for exempt employees, is now in effect. The new threshold is $35,568 per year ($684 per week), which is about $12,000 per year more than the former threshold of $23,660. The final rule allows up to 10 percent of the salary threshold to be met by nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive payments (including commissions), provided these payments are made at least annually. The final rule does not make any changes to the “duties test.”
New 2020 New Jersey Employment Laws
- New Jersey minimum wage is now $11.00/hour.
- New Jersey’s salary history ban law is now in effect. As a result, employers hiring workers in New Jersey can no longer ask job candidates about wage and salary history.
- New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD) has been expanded to include hairstyles associated with race as a protected category. As a result, the LAD now explicitly prohibits New Jersey employers from discriminating against applicants or employees on the basis of hairstyle closely associated with race, including, for example, twists, braids, cornrows, Afros, locs, and fades.
Employers should consult with experienced human resources professionals and/or labor and employment counsel with any questions regarding these new employment laws and any required changes to employer policies and practices. For MEA members, the Hotline and a Member Legal Services attorney are available to provide this assistance.
About the Author
Amy McAndrew is MEA’s Director of Legal and Compliance Services and has over twenty years of experience as a labor and employment attorney.