This episode goes through law updates in August 2020:

• Nebraska Employee Misclassification: The Employee Classification Act is amended to change enforcement provisions. The change provides that the commissioner may issue a citation to a contractor when an investigation reveals that a contractor has violated the act.
• Nebraska Smoking in the Workplace: The Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act is amended to exempt electronic smoking device retail outlets from smoking prohibitions under the law. The limited exemptions under the law permit smoking in public places where the public would reasonably expect to find persons smoking, including guest room suites designated as smoking rooms, institutions engaged in research related to smoking, and tobacco retail outlets, electronic smoking device retail outlets, and cigar shops, with narrow application and restrictions under the law.
• Nebraska Wage Payment: The Nebraska Wage Payment and Collection Act is amended to provide and change requirements for wage claims under the Act; to prohibit employers from discriminating or retaliation against employees who file a suit or complaint under the Act or who testify, assist or participate in an investigation, proceeding, or action concerning a violation of the Act; to provide restrictions on employers with unpaid citations; to require the Department of Labor to post certain information related to compliance and enforcement of the Act on its website.
• New Hampshire Criminal Background Checks: A new law prohibits a public employer from inquiring about or conducting a criminal background check on a prospective employee prior to an interview. Such inquiries are permitted during an interview, however, effective September 22, 2020.
• New Jersey Minimum Wage: The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has adopted new regulations to protect fair wages for tipped workers. The regulations specifically state that tips belong exclusively to the employee.
• Puerto Rico Workplace Harassment and Bullying: Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez Garced signed House Bill 306 on August 7 to create the “Law to prohibit and prevent workplace harassment in Puerto Rico,” which establishes the policy against harassment in the local workplace, defines its scope, procedures, prohibitions, and sanctions.
• Rhode Island Equal Opportunity in State Employment: A new law creates a new process with standards to be utilized when deciding whether past convictions should disqualify an applicant from receiving the state-issued occupational license, permit, certificate, or registration they seek. Further, the law prohibits state agencies from discriminating by considering protected characteristics in the granting denying, or revoking of a license or charter.
• Vermont Unemployment Insurance: The maximum weekly benefit amount in Vermont increased to $531 effective July 5, 2020.
• Wyoming Unemployment Insurance: The maximum weekly benefit amount in Wyoming effective July 5, 2020, is $526.