2017 is upon us!  The start of a new year provides the promise of new opportunities in our professional and personal lives and always at least a little hopefulness, uncertainty, and excitement.  What will the New Year hold for your organization?  From an HR perspective, 2017 brings a few new regulations and updates to existing laws for organizations to consider, comply with, and implement.  Issues which may need to be considered within your organization include:

• On January 1, 2017 or at varying times throughout the year, many states will institute or increase a minimum wage above the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Some of these states are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Vermont, and West Virginia. Employers in these states must comply with whichever wage is higher.
• Federal contractors entering into new federal contracts on or after January 1, 2017 must comply with the new Department of Labor regulations requiring them to provide at least 56 hours of paid sick leave each year.
• The EEOC’s new rules regarding wellness programs become effective January 1, 2017.
• OSHA’s final rule regarding walking-working surfaces becomes effective January 17, 2017.
• Employers must utilize the new Form I-9 after January 21, 2017.

We certainly anticipate receiving a determination of whether the DOL’s Overtime Regulations will go into effect and will update you through our blog and social media postings (LinkedIn, Facebook, or Twitter) when a decision is made.  Additionally, there likely will be changes in 2017 under a Trump administration.  However, we are not going to speculate as to what these changes might include.

We wish you a healthy and prosperous 2017.  If you need assistance with any human resources issue, we encourage you to contact our office.