"Roughly 20 states and 30 local jurisdictions have implemented paid sick leave laws. Several of these states and jurisdictions amended their paid sick leave policies in 2023 ... Minnesota has enacted its first statewide paid sick and safe time law ... [1] California ... [2] Illinois ... [3] Washington ... [4] Chicago ... [5] Minnesota."  MORE >>

"[T]he amendments increase the annual amount of California paid sick leave ... to the greater of five days or 40 hours for eligible employees ... [and] raise the accrual and year-end carryover cap from 48 hours or six days to the greater of 80 hours or 10 days.... [T]he California Department of Industrial Relations published updated FAQs on the amended law, including how employers can transition existing paid sick leave protocols to satisfy the amended requirements."  MORE >>

"The Ordinance applies to all Chicago employers, and all employers who have employees performing 80 hours of work in a 120-day period in the geographical boundaries of Chicago. Employers will be better off frontloading the Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave amounts rather than accruing and carrying over to avoid accrual and the ability to use up to 176 hours in a year, which will also limit potential abuse since employers cannot use their absence-control policies when employees are taking paid leave under the Ordinance."  MORE >>

"Employees filing FMLA retaliation claims in Eleventh Circuit courts now have a heightened burden of proof under the but-for causation standard ... [T]he Sixth Circuit tiptoed around the issue but stated that the but-for standard 'seems' correct. The Fourth Circuit has also applied the but-for causation standard ... [while] the Second and Third Circuits have looked to the motivating factor standard ... Due to this ever-growing circuit split, it is possible that the Supreme Court may take up the issue in the near future." [Lapham v. Walgreen Co., No. 21-10491 (11th Cir. Dec. 13, 2023)]  MORE >>

"[T]he 11th Circuit's decision provides greater protection for employers by establishing that the heightened causation standard applies to FMLA retaliation claims.... Make sure that leave request policies involve a clear and streamlined process, and you respond to requests in a timely matter.... Train supervisors to avoid consideration of leave requests in employee evaluations, annual reviews, or in preparation for adverse employment actions.... Maintain consistency in your treatment of all employee leave requests." [Lapham v. Walgreen Co., No. 21-10491 (11th Cir. Dec. 13, 2023)]  MORE >>

"[A MEWA may be] unintentionally created by a buyer or seller during the purchase or sale of a company. If not properly handled, this can lead to significant liabilities for the buyer and possible loss of coverage.... This article will discuss three transaction scenarios involving MEWAs and provide advice on how to avoid potential liabilities and compliance failure."  MORE >>

11 pages. "[At] least six congressional committees have jurisdiction over some aspect of PBMs ... All six committees have advanced PBM-related bills.... [An 8-page chart] compare[s] policies in the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act [HR 5378] and the PBM bills considered individually by the relevant House and Senate committees."  MORE >>

"50% of employees say access to behavioral or mental health services for themselves and their families would be highly valuable. Only 39% report that their organization offers adequate mental health support. This lack of support is especially concerning considering the projected decline in Americans' mental health: 6 in 10 college students have a mental health diagnosis, suggesting future generations will need even greater support."  MORE >>

"Medicare is set to expand its coverage to include marriage and family therapists as well as mental health counselors beginning in January 2024 ... The move ... is a big change for Medicare that has for decades limited mental health care coverage to services provided by psychiatrists, psychologists, licensed clinical social workers and psychiatric nurses[.]"  MORE >>