Holiday and Vacation Law
Every campus of the California State University will be required to observe November 11 as a holiday by closing on that day (Ch. 146 (A. 720), L. 2005, at CA ¶5-7400).

Military and Emergency Services Leave Law
Upon presentation of a copy of orders for active military duty by a state employee, the appointing power must grant a military leave of absence for the period of active duty specified in the orders, but not to exceed five (formerly, four) years for a permanent, probationary, or exempt employee, or for the remainder of a limited-term employee's appointment or a temporary employee's appointment (Ch. 151 (A. 1523), L. 2005, at CA ¶5-7200).

Minimum Wage Law
The current living wage rates for Santa Cruz County and Watsonville are $12.04 per hour with benefits, and $13.14 per hour without benefits (CA ¶5-1000).

Overtime Pay Law
The Labor Code has been amended with respect to overtime rates for employees in the computer software field (Ch. 149 (A. 1093), L. 2005, at CA ¶5-1100).

Wage Payment Law
The state has enacted a law providing that an employer may deposit an employee's wages or advance on wages in an account in any bank, savings and loan association, or credit union of the employee's choice that has a place of business in California. The law additionally modifies existing provisions to provide that if an employee is discharged or quits, the employer may pay the wages earned and unpaid at the time the employee is discharged or quits by depositing that sum into the account authorized by the employee, and that existing law relating to the payment of wages upon termination or quitting of employment shall continue to apply (Ch. 149 (A. 1093), L. 2005, at CA ¶5-1200).

Unemployment Insurance Law
Tax rate information has been updated.

Unemployment Insurance Law
The state has enacted SUTA dumping provisions, effective January 1, 2006 (FL ¶10-1700).

Illinois Family Military Leave Act
Topic added. Employers who employ between 15 and 50 employees must provide up to 15 days of unpaid family military leave to an employee during the time federal or state deployment orders are in effect. Those employers who employ more than 50 employees must provide up to 30 days of unpaid family military leave during the federal or state deployment orders. The law is not yet codified and reads as enacted by P.A. 589 (S.B. 1627), Sections 1 through 30, effective Aug. 15, 2005. 

Illinois Criminal Background Checks Law
Employees and volunteers of a comprehensive hospice program or volunteer hospice program are required to undergo a criminal background check as a condition of employment. Chapter 225, Section 46/15, as amended by P.A. 570 (S.B. 26), l. 2005, effective July 1, 2005. ¶14-23,600.23.

Illinois Criminal Background Checks Law
Health care facilities are required to initiate background checks for employees that have contact with residents. Before this law, only direct care staff members were subjected to background checks. Chapter 225, Sections 46/10, as amended by H.B. 2531, effective Jan. 1, 2006. ¶14-23,600.22, ¶14-23,600.23 and ¶14-23,600.15.

Fair Employment Practices Law
School boards now allow advanced practice nurses and physician assistants to conduct physical fitness and other health exams of employees (S. 1626, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-2500).

Health Insurance Benefit Coverage Law
Certain provisions relating to the state's law on health insurance coverage of mental and emotional disorders no longer expire after December 31, 2005 (H. 59, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-4000). 

Additionally, the Illinois Insurance Code has been amended to include post-traumatic stress disorder within the definition of "serious mental illness" (P.A. 584 (H. 2190), L. 2005, at IL ¶14-4000).

Maximum Hours Law
The Illinois Vehicle Code has been amended to exempt certain workers from federal maximum hours regulations during utility service interruption emergencies (H. 1411, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-1300).

Meal and Rest Periods Law
The Illinois One Day Rest in Seven Act has been amended to provide for break and meal periods for hotel room attendants. Hotels and other establishments licensed for transient occupancy in a county having a population greater than 3,000,000 must provide each hotel room attendant who works at least seven hours in a workday with a minimum of two 15-minute paid rest breaks and one 30-minute meal period. Employers cannot require hotel room attendants to work during a break period, and must keep complete and accurate records of the break periods. The employer must also provide an adequate room on the premises for break periods that includes adequate seating and tables and clean drinking water. Employer violators will be required to pay attendants three times the employee's regular hourly wage for each workday in which the required breaks were not provided (H. 3485, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-1400).

Military and Emergency Services Leave Law
The Family Military Leave Act took effect August 15, 2005 (S. 1627, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-7200).

The state has also changed the name of the Volunteer Firefighter Job Protection Act to the Volunteer Emergency Worker Job Protection Act (P.A. 599 (H. 594), L. 2005, at IL ¶14-7200).

Overtime Pay Law
The Hospital Licensing Act has been amended to prohibit mandated nurse overtime except in an unforeseen emergent circumstance when such overtime is required only as a last resort (P.A. 349 (S. 201), L. 2005, at IL ¶14-1100).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
There are new recordkeeping and posting requirements under the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act (H. 3471, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-9900).

Also, Illinois has amended its Prevailing Wage Act to require contractors on public works to submit a monthly certified payroll to the public body in charge of the project, either in person, by mail, or electronically (H. 188, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-9900).

Smoking in the Workplace Law
The state's Clean Indoor Air Act has been amended to provide that municipalities are authorized to regulate smoking in public places (H. 672, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-2700).

Violence in the Workplace Law
The Health Care Workplace Violence Prevention Act calls for a pilot project to be implemented by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Public Health. Specified health care workplaces will participate in the two-year pilot project, and then, with limited exceptions, all health care workplaces will be required to have workplace violence prevention plans. Training and recordkeeping will be key parts of these plans (P.A. 347 (H. 399), L. 2005, at IL ¶14-3300).

Wage Payment Law
The Day and Temporary Labor Services Act has been amended with respect to deductions from wages (H. 3471, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-1200).

Whistleblower Protection Law
The Prevailing Wage Act has been amended to provide that a party retaliating against a whistleblower under the law shall be liable to the Department of Labor for a penalty of $5,000 for each violation (H. 1370, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-3600).

Also, whistleblower protections have been added to the Day and Temporary Labor Services Act (H. 3471, L. 2005, at IL ¶14-3600).

Garnishment Law
Illinois has amended its garnishment law so that the maximum amount of wages subject to garnishment is the lesser of (1) 15% of the gross income paid for the week, or (2) the amount by which disposable earnings exceed 45 times the federal minimum wage or, for wage deduction orders issued after January 1, 2006, 45 times the state minimum wage, whichever is greater (S. 1752, L. 2005).

Voting Leave Law
The state has amended its election laws to add a provision for time off from work for election judges. Also, the law relating to leave from work for employees voting in general or special elections has been amended (H. 1968, L. 2005).

Illinois Family Military Leave Act
Topic added. Employers who employ between 15 and 50 employees must provide up to 15 days of unpaid family military leave to an employee during the time federal or state deployment orders are in effect. Those employers who employ more than 50 employees must provide up to 30 days of unpaid family military leave during the federal or state deployment orders. The law is not yet codified and reads as enacted by P.A. 589 (S.B. 1627), Sections 1 through 30, effective Aug. 15, 2005. ¶14-22,451.01 through ¶14-22,451.30.

Illinois Criminal Background Checks Law
Employees and volunteers of a comprehensive hospice program or volunteer hospice program are required to undergo a criminal background check as a condition of employment. Chapter 225, Section 46/15, as amended by P.A. 570 (S.B. 26), l. 2005, effective July 1, 2005. ¶14-23,600.23.

Illinois Criminal Background Checks Law
Health care facilities are required to initiate background checks for employees that have contact with residents. Before this law, only direct care staff members were subjected to background checks. Chapter 225, Sections 46/10, as amended by H.B. 2531, effective Jan. 1, 2006. ¶14-23,600.22, ¶14-23,600.23  and ¶14-23,600.15.

Military and Emergency Services Leave Law
Louisiana's Military Service Relief Act has been amended with respect to leave status and reinstatement (Act 144 (S. 118), L. 2005, at LA ¶19-7200).

Violence in the Workplace Law
The state's stalking law has been amended to require that acts constituting the crime of stalking be intentional (Act 161 (H. 51), L. 2005, at LA ¶19-3300).

Wage Payment Law
The state has deleted the limitation on the amount of last wages paid by an employer to a deceased employee's surviving spouse or children (Act 24 (H. 541), L. 2005, at LA ¶19-1200).

Louisiana Criminal Background Checks Law
Public school boards and nonpublic schools and school systems from are prohibited from hiring specified persons who have been convicted of or pled nolo contendere to certain crimes. Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 15, as amended by Act 416 (H.B. 178), L. 2005, effective Aug. 15, 2005. ¶19-23,600.01.

Minimum Wage Law
The living wage rate for Montgomery County is $11.15 per hour through June 30, 2006.

Unemployment Insurance Law
Michigan has amended its Employment Security Law with respect to SUTA dumping (MI ¶23-1700).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The Washtenaw County living wage poster has been updated.

Family, Medical and Parental Leaves Law
The state has added employment protections for employees who take time off work to seek relief under the Domestic Abuse Act (Ch. 136 (H. 1), L. 2005, at MN ¶24-7000).

Jury Duty and Court Attendance Leave Law
The state's victim/witness leave law has been expanded. The law now specifies rights for victims of heinous crimes, and also grants employment leave rights to a crime victim's spouse or next of kin (Ch. 136 (H. 1), L. 2005, at MN ¶24-7100).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The state has updated its minimum wage posters (English and Spanish versions) (MN ¶24-9900).

Violence in the Workplace Law
The state's harassment/stalking law has been amended to include "monitoring" (Ch. 136 (H. 1), L. 2005, at MN ¶24-3300).

Wage Payment Law
The state has enacted a law allowing an employee to have contributions to a political action committee deducted from his or her wages (Ch. 297 (H. 404), L. 2005, at NH ¶30-1200).

Smoking in the Workplace Law
The state has enacted a law specifically prohibiting smoking in college and university dormitories (Ch. 203 (S. 2332), L. 2004).

Minimum Wage Law
The state has amended the definition of "employee" under its minimum wage law to exclude certain volunteers working at a recreational or amusement event that lasts no longer than eight consecutive days and where no more than one such event occurs in any calendar year. Such volunteers must be at least 18, and the employer must provide written notice of the exemption to the workers and keep such notices on file for 36 months (S. 5774, L. 2005, at NY ¶33-1000).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The state's discrimination poster has been updated, and the notice to employees working near radiation has been added (NY ¶33-9900).

Preemployment Inquiries Law
The state's Public Health Law has been amended to require children's camps to consult the sex offender registry in reference to job applicants (A. 5209, L. 2005).

Preemployment Inquiries Law
The state has enacted a law that specifically authorizes criminal record checks for county government employment (S. 737, L. 2005).

North Dakota Criminal Background Checks Law
Certain city and county employees are required to submit a set of fingerprints and undergo a criminal history check as a condition of employment. Title 12, Chapter 12-60, Section 12-60-24, as amended by Ch. 111 (S.B. 2248), L. 2005, effective March 31, 2005. ¶35-23,600.51.

Minimum Wage Law
The current hourly living wage rate for Lakewood, Ohio, is $9.50 if the employer provides health benefits, and $10.54 if health benefits are not provided (OH ¶36-1000).

Also, the current hourly living wage rate for Cincinnati, Ohio, is $8.96 if the employer provides health benefits, and $10.50 if health benefits are not provided (OH ¶36-1000).

Ohio Criminal Background Checks Rule
An individual’s conditional employment at facilities caring for older adults will be terminated if the results of the criminal records check, other than the results of any request for information from the FBI, are not obtained within thirty days after the date the request is made. Chapter 3701-13, Section 3701-13-04, as amended effective Oct. 1, 2005. ¶36-23,650.54

Child Labor Law
The state's child labor law has been amended with respect to mealtimes for employees under 16 years of age (S. 137, L. 2005, at OR ¶38-1500).

Family, Medical and Parental Leaves Law
The state has amended the definition of "health care provider" under the Oregon Family Leave Act (S. 576, L. 2005, at OR ¶38-7000).

Health Insurance Benefit Coverage Law
The state has enacted a law that will require equal group health insurance parity for mental health and substance abuse disorders beginning January 1, 2007 (S. 1, L. 2005, at OR ¶38-4000).

Additionally, insurers will be required to provide coverage for colorectal cancer screenings beginning January 1, 2006 (S. 501, L. 2005, at OR ¶38-4000).

Meal and Rest Periods Law
The state has enacted a workplace-specific breastfeeding rights law, effective January 1, 2006 (S. 618, L. 2005, at OR ¶38-1400).

Unemployment Insurance Law
The maximum weekly benefit amount in Oregon effective July 3, 2005, is $434, and the minimum amount is $101 (OR ¶38-1700).

Violence in the Workplace Law
The state has enacted a law allowing a public servant or public servant's employer to seek an injunction against a person engaging in certain criminal conduct, including assault, trespass or harassment, directed at a public servant and related to a public servant's employment or status as elected or appointed (S. 218, L. 2005, at OR ¶38-3300).

Wage Payment Law
Oregon has amended its rules on penalties assessed for nonpayment of wages. The amendment provides that, in the case where an employee who is required to submit time records terminates employment but does not provide the employer with a time record, no penalty will be assessed against the employer if the employer pays the wages the employer estimates are due and payable and the estimated amount of wage paid is less than the actual amount of earned and unpaid wages, as long as the employer pays the employee all wages earned and unpaid within five days after the employee submits his or her time records (H. 3319, L. 2005, at OR ¶38-1200).

Minimum Wage Law
Effective January 1, 2006, the state's minimum wage will increase from $7.25 per hour to $7.50 per hour (Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
Press Release, September 16, 2005).

No Updates as of September 30, 2005

Violence in the Workplace Law
The Safe Communities Act amends the state's stalking provisions (Act 83 (S. 15), L. 2005, at VVT ¶47-3300).

Unemployment Insurance Law
The current maximum and minimum weekly benefit amounts in Virginia are $330 and $54, respectively.

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The City of Alexandria's living wage poster has been updated (VA ¶48-9900).

No Updates as of September 30, 2005

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The state regulatory poster has been updated (WY ¶52-9900).

Unemployment Insurance Law
The current maximum weekly benefit amount in Wyoming is $330. The current minimum amount is $24 (WY ¶52-1700).