The filing of a new discrimination lawsuit by the EEOC answers the question whether, after five years of intensive scrutiny, employers can breathe a sigh of relief in terms of screening job applicants based on criminal records.
As the dog days of summer settle in, most statehouses have closed up shop. Legislatures in approximately 12 states remain in regular session, however, with a couple more active in special session.
On June 30, 2017, Missouri Governor Eric Greitens signed into law Senate Bill 43, which corrects the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA) by bringing it into closer alignment with federal and other states' anti-discrimination statutes.
Consistent with a major theme of the 2016 election cycle, equal pay and similar wage proposals dominated the attention of state legislatures in the first half of 2017.
On June 14, 2017, Delaware Governor John Carney signed a new law to address the pay gap between men and women by prohibiting prospective employers from asking job applicants about their salary history.
On June 1, 2017, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed into law H.B. 2005, also known as the Oregon Equal Pay Act of 2017. This law includes restrictions on salary history inquiries.
On Tuesday, May 23, 2017, the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing to discuss the direction of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
