New Year, New Rules

2017 Important Human Resources Updates for 2017

Happy New Year from all of us at Sierra HR Partners! As we move into the year ahead, it will be important to be aware of several human resources updates that become effective this month:

• California’s minimum wage for employers of 26 or more employees increased to $10.50 per hour. (Employers of 25 or fewer have a one-year grace period before they must begin paying higher hourly rates.) This change also affects the minimum amount you must pay an exempt employee to meet the salary test of two times the minimum wage. Exempt salaried employees must earn $43,680 per year.

• The IRS standard rate for mileage reimbursement has been decreased to 53.5 cents per mile (down from 54 cents per mile in 2016.)

• Assembly Bill 1847 requires that employers inform employees they may be eligible for the California Earned Income Tax Credit within one week before or after, or at the same time the employer provides an annual wage summary (such as a W-2 or 1099 form.) The language of the notice can be found in the Bill text. (Scroll all the way to the bottom of the web page.)

• The City of Los Angeles has passed a “Ban the Box” ordinance limiting the use of criminal history information for employers of ten or more employees, effective January 22, 2017. Job applications cannot request information about criminal histories, and the employer is prohibited from inquiring about an applicant’s criminal history until after an employment offer has been made. The ordinance also imposes a posting requirement for covered employers.

• Effective March 1, 2017, all single-user toilet facilities in any business establishment must be identified as “all gender” facilities.

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