New Employment Laws Go Into Effect August 10, 2022
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Colin A. Walker
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        August 9, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                The Colorado Legislature passed a number of important new employment laws in the 2022 legislative session. These laws are discussed in a previous blog post (May 25, 2022). Some of the new laws went into effect immediately. Others will become effective in 2023. However, several of the most significant ones will become effective this Wednesday, August 10, 2022.
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                Lobbying and Employment Law
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Colin A. Walker
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        July 27, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                How do lobbyists and lawyers work together to advance balanced legislation? Find out in this interview with Colin Walker and lobbyists Jeff Weist and Laura Long from Weist Capital Group. 
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                New Law Requires Notice of Reason for Termination
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Colin A. Walker
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        July 6, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                Senate Bill 22-234, which amended the Colorado Employment Security Act, passed by the Colorado legislature and signed into law by the Governor on May 25, 2022, requires Colorado employers to provide a written notice to an employee regarding unemployment benefits upon separation from employment.
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                Is Hair a Protected Class?
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Colin A. Walker
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        June 9, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                Hair is a protected class. A number of states have enacted laws prohibiting discrimination against employees and candidates for employment based on hair and hairstyles historically associated with certain races and ethnicities on the theory that discrimination regarding hairstyles could be a proxy for discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion or other protected classes.
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                2022 Colorado Legislative Session Brings Big Changes to Employment Law
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Colin A. Walker
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        May 25, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                As in past legislative sessions, in 2022, the Democratically-controlled legislature had a keen interest in workplace legislation, substantially amending some of the most important employment statutes. 
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (“FAIR Act”)
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                          
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                          	                                                      
                                    
                                                    By: Adrian P. Castro
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        May 17, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (“FAIR Act”) is a proposed piece of legislation that would ban all pre-dispute arbitration provisions or agreements in the context of employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights disputes.
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                Does Your Company Need a Privacy Policy?
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                          
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                          	                                                      
                                    
                                                    By: Angie M. Fletcher
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        April 19, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                On the heels of other countries and states enacting their own privacy laws, the Colorado Privacy Act will soon go into effect July 2023. The recent wave of privacy legislation took off in 2018, with the European Union (EU) implementing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                IT Forensics: Technology Security Issues That Employers Should Keep Top of Mind
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Colin A. Walker
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        April 5, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                IT Forensics: Technology Security Issues That Employers Should Keep Top of Mind
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me…” Should Non-Disparagement Provisions be Included in Employment Agreements?
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Colin A. Walker
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        March 16, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                In a non-disparagement agreement, a party agrees not to disparage, or make negative comments about, another party.
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                United States Women’s National Soccer Team Secures Historic $24 Million Equal Pay Settlement
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                          
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                          	                                                      
                                    
                                                    By: Amanda C. Jokerst
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        March 1, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                The United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) secured a $24 million equal pay settlement with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). The settlement included a promise by the USSF to equalize pay between the women and men’s national team.
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                Senate Passes Landmark Bill Ending Forced Arbitration of Workplace Sexual Harassment and Assault Claims
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                          
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Adrian P. Castro
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        February 16, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                On Thursday, February 10, 2022, the Senate passed what is being heralded as a landmark bill ending forced arbitration of workplace sexual harassment and assault claims.
                 
                                              
                             
                  
                              
                Can You Provide Different Benefits to Different Employees?
                
                                 
                                                
                                
                                                                                        
                                      
                  
                                                          	                                        
                                        
                                                                                      
                               
                                                                                      
                                                                                                        
                                    
                                                    By: Colin A. Walker
                  
                                    
                  
                  
                                       
                
                                                        February 2, 2022
                                     
                
	
               
                
                                                
                Can an employer provide different benefits to different employees? For example could it offer the C-Suite better health insurance benefits than the rank and file? Or, could it offer healthcare insurance to full-time employees but not part-time?