The May edition of the Insider Report discusses recent agency rulemaking, legislative maneuvers to block new and pending rules, and state efforts to enact labor and employment laws that have stalled at the federal level.
On April 21, 2016, Mayor Ed Lee signed an ordinance making San Francisco the first municipality to require private employers to compensate employees while on parental bonding leave.
On April 4, 2016, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo executed sweeping legislation as part of the 2016-17 state budget, implementing a complicated and staggered set of minimum wage increases, and creating a system of paid family leave benefits.
Earlier this week, Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Deb Fischer (R-NE) attempted to force passage of two pay-related bills. The promotion of rival legislation was likely a symbolic nod to Equal Pay Day, commemorated on April 12.
The DOL has issued a final rule to re-define who is rendered a "fiduciary" of an employee benefit plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) by providing investment advice to a plan or its participants or beneficiaries.
The DHS recently issued its long-awaited F–1 nonimmigrant student visa regulations on optional practical training for certain students with degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics from U.S. institutions of higher education.
This month's edition of WPI's Insider Report includes articles on the Administration's push to finalize rules before the November elections, legislative and litigation steps to thwart those efforts, and state bills and ordinances that have advanced.
The IRS is inviting comments on several new compliance questions contained in the 2015 IRS Form 5500/5500-SF, the annual report filed by retirement plans with the DOL and the IRS.
On Monday, April 4, 2016, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Senate Bill 3 into law. This measure will increase the state minimum wage, in steps, to $15 to per hour, and expand paid sick leave benefits to certain workers.
