New York could become the first state to provide paid leave for PRENATAL CARE under a recent proposal from Gov. Kathy Hochul, story here. Word on the street is this legislation would be a model for other jurisdictions.

• If you have headcount in NY, don’t miss our New York Annual Employer Update is February 13--click here to register for the webinar

Lots of changes in Illinois regarding PAID LEAVE

• The Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA) took effect January 1, 2024, requiring Illinois employers to provide most employees with a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave per year to be used for any reason at all–not just for sick leave.
• The Cook County Board of Commissioners passed a new Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance, which took effect December 31, 2023, covering employees who work in Cook County and largely mirroring the PLAWA (including 40 hours of paid leave per year for any reason at all).
• The new Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance grants up to 80 hours of PTO per year for most employees in Chicago (effective July 1, 2024).
• We'll cover these regs (and how they intersect) at our Illinois Annual Employer Update (live program) on January 11--click here to register

What's the difference between disability protections under USERRA and protections under the ADA? Robin Samuel helps explain in the attached SHRM article about a former Texas state trooper who recently won a $2.4 million verdict in his USERRA lawsuit alleging the Texas Highway Patrol failed to accommodate a disability he sustained during military service.