The following states have labor law updates scheduled to take effect in May of 2026:
There are also federal labor law updates scheduled for May 2026.
Illinois employers should be aware of the following updates to compliance requirements as of May 2026:
Starting June 1st, 2026, Illinois's new Neonatal Intensive Care Leave will go into effect.
The new leave law applies to employers with at least 16 employees, and provides a certain amount of unpaid leave to employees when an employee's child is a patient in a neonatal intensive care unit. The amount of leave depends on the size of the employer
Employers with 16 to 50 employees must provide up to 10 days of unpaid leave, while employers with 51 or more employees must provide up to 20 days of unpaid leave. Leave must be job-protected, meaning employees must be reinstated to the former or a substantially equivalent position held before taking leave, with no loss of benefits.
Maine employers should be aware of the following updates to compliance requirements as of May 2026:
As of May 1st, 2026, benefits under Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave will be paid out for time out of work due to specific life events.
Maine Paid Family and Medical Leave is a state program that helps employees take time off from work for certain life events, including medical, parental, family care, military family, or safe leave. Eligible employees can apply for up to 12 weeks of paid leave each year.
Leave is job-protected so long as the employee has worked for their employer for at least 120 consecutive days. Employees who take leave are entitled to partial wage replacement.
Nebraska employers should be aware of the following updates to compliance requirements as of May 2026:
As of May 1st, 2026, Nebraska Medicaid will now enforce work requirements for applicants and existing Medicaid members under Medicaid expansion, with some exceptions.
Adults enrolled in Medicaid through Medicaid expansion (also known as Heritage Health) must spend at least 80 hours in at least one qualifying month doing one or a combination of the following activities:
Employees can also meet working requirements so long as they earn the federal minimum threshold in a qualifying month, which is currently $580 a month (equivalent of 80 hours worked at the current federal minimum wage).
Oregon employers should be aware of the following updates to compliance requirements as of May 2026:
As of May 1st, 2026, Oregon's expanded workplace violence prevention requirements for healthcare
workers must be observed.
By May 1st, covered employers must establish the following:
Utah employers should be aware of the following updates to compliance requirements as of May 2026:
Beginning May 6th, 2026, employers are generally not allowed to enforce non-compete agreements for healthcare workers and veterinarians, with some exceptions.
Any existing agreements shall also be made void, unless they meet certain exceptions.
Additionally, these updates apply to nondisclosure or nonsolicitation agreements.
All employers should be aware of the following updates to compliance requirements as of May 2026:
Starting May 11th, 2026, Executive Order 13658 will take effect, raising the minimum wage requirements for Federal contractors.
The new wage rates are as follows:
The challenge with frequent labor law updates is the posting requirement updates that come with each change to the laws in your state, and on the federal level.
However, employers can stay ahead of the changes with this labor law poster service, which makes meeting requirements easy and practically hands-off.
The challenge with frequent labor law updates is the posting requirement updates that come with each change to the laws in your state, and on the federal level.
However, employers can stay ahead of the changes with this labor law poster service, which makes meeting requirements easy and practically hands-off.
Give us some basic information about yourself and your business goals, and we'll find a provider who is customized to your unique business situation, be it industry, locale, etc.
Give us some basic information about yourself and your business challenge, and we'll help you find a provider for your unique situation, industry, location, etc.
