Workplace laws that benefit the employee are changing
As tides shift on many political and social issues, workplace laws are shifting, too.
While many compliance changes will be forthcoming, Ulliance is keeping an eye on these three major trends in the coming months:
1. Salary history inquiries will be restricted
Puerto Rico and four states and four cities in the United States have passed laws of varying degrees that prohibit employers from asking potential employees for their salary history. Why? It’s believed the question “How much did you earn at your previous job?” perpetuates wage discrimination and the gender wage gap. By making it illegal to ask the question, cities and states allow candidates to come into salary negotiations on a playing field based on experience and skills rather than past earnings.
2. Accommodations for pregnant employees must be made available
Sadly, employers are still discriminating against pregnant workers. A recent report from The New York Times found the number of pregnancy discrimination claims filed annually with the EEOC has been steadily rising for two decades and is hovering near an all-time high. While the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which went on the books in 1978, allows pregnant women to ask for “reasonable accommodations,” many are still penalized. South Carolina recently passed a law providing more protection for expectant mothers. Ulliance expects that more locations will follow suit.
3. Anti-harassment training is a necessity
Currently, very few states—California, Connecticut, and Maine—mandate sexual harassment training. This might not be the case for much longer. The #MeToo movement has propelled the prevalence of workplace harassment into the spotlight, and a 2016 report from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) acknowledges that training must be offered. The EEOC report states: “Much of the training done over the last 30 years has not worked as a prevention tool—it’s been too focused on simply avoiding legal liability.”
Ulliance offers a unique approach to harassment education and prevention that goes beyond “lecture hall” sessions. It’s designed to address the emotional issues at the root of individual employees’ harassing behaviors.