Employment Law –
Preparing for 2014:
The Maryland Perspective
Montgomery County Chamber of
Commerce Small Business
Committee
Julie Reddig
Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd.
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
www.lerchearly.com
■
October 16, 2013
Today’s Update
2
3 New Maryland Employment Laws
 Lien for Unpaid Wages Act
 Reasonable Accommodations for
Pregnant Workers Act
 Deployment of Family Members in
the Armed Services Act
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
Lien for Unpaid Wages Act
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
■
 Employee lien against real and



personal property for alleged
unpaid wages
Includes penalties - $$$
Speedier resolution of wage claims
Puts pressure on employers
3
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
What Can I Do Now?
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
■
 Review job descriptions re “exempt”
 Ensure senior management


understands need for immediate
action
Consider company-wide timesheets
Update timesheet language
4
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
Reasonable Accommodations for
Pregnant Workers Act
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
■
 Requires employer to provide


5
“reasonable accommodation” absent
“undue hardship”
Creates obligations beyond ADA
Applies to MD employers with 15 or
15 or more employees
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
Reasonable Accommodation
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
■
 Changing employee’s job duties
 Changing employee’s work hours
 Relocating employee’s work area
 Providing mechanical/electrical aids
 Providing leave
 Transferring employee to less
strenuous/hazardous position
6
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
What Can I Do Now?
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
■
 Train supervisors to bring request to


7
HR/management IMMEDIATELY
Revise employee handbook
Review temporary disability policies
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
Deployment of Family Members in
the Armed Forces Act
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
■
 Must allow certain employees with

8
one day of leave on the day
immediate family member leaves for
or returns from active duty outside
the U.S. as a member of the U.S.
Armed Forces
Employers with 50 or more
employees
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
Eligibility
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
■
 Worked for employer for previous 12


9
months and worked 1,250 hours in
previous 12 months
Immediate family member = spouse,
parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, or
sibling
Cannot require employee to use
comp, sick or vacation leave
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
What Can I Do Now?
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■
■
 Revise leave policies and tracking

10
procedures
Train managers so they can let
employees know they may be
eligible
© Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd. 2013
www.lerchearly.com
888 17th Street, NW, 11th Floor
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 857-1000
Fax: (202) 857-0200
PREPARING FOR 2014:
THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE
MCCC Small Business Member Meeting
October 16, 2013
PREPARING FOR 2014: THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE
THREE BRANCHES:
WATCHING FROM ALL ANGLES
12
© PilieroMazza PLLC 2013
PREPARING FOR 2014: THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE
LEGISLATIVE:
AND OUT OF CONGRESS?
A.
B.
B.
Budget/Contract Disruptions
•
Workforce strategic planning
•
Reductions in force
•
Wage and Hour
Affordable Care Act
•
Assume its here to stay
•
Long Term Benefit Planning
Immigration Reform
•
13
© PilieroMazza PLLC 2013
Advocacy
PREPARING FOR 2014: THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE
JUDICIARY:
THE SUPREMES
A.
•
B.
DOMA
Windsor
Title VII
•
Ball State
•
Nassar
C.
•
Arbitration
American Express
14
© PilieroMazza PLLC 2013
PREPARING FOR 2014: THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE
EXECUTIVE:
THE PRESIDENCY AND ITS AGENTS
A. Investigations
B. EEOC Guidance
C. OFCCP Rules
D. Non-displacement of Service Workers
E. NLRB
15
© PilieroMazza PLLC 2013
PREPARING FOR 2014: THE FEDERAL PERSPECTIVE
HOW TO PREPARE?
A. Update Handbook
B. Employment Documents
C. Training
D. Seek Assistance
E. Invest Time
16
© PilieroMazza PLLC 2013
QUESTIONS?
 Julie
Reddig
 Nicole
DeVries
(301) 960-6099
jareddig@
lerchearly.com
(202) 857-1000
ndevries@
pilieromazza.com
Lerch, Early & Brewer
PilieroMazza PLLC
www.lerchearly.com
www.pilieromazza.com