February 27, 2017

2017 Proposed Nevada State Legislation

A number of bills currently before the Nevada Legislature will affect employers if signed into law. The following summarizes these bills as they have been introduced.

Summary of Prospective Bills

SB157 provides that an employee working more than 8 hours in a workday must have a meal period of at least “30 consecutive minutes,” and an employee working more than 12 hours in a workday must “have a second meal period of at least 30 consecutive minutes.” It also requires overtime compensation only for hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a “workweek.” It eliminates the overtime-compensation requirements for hours worked in excess of 8 hours in one calendar day and 8 hours in a 16-hour period.

SB196 requires private employers to provide sick leave to each employee (even salaried employees), which accrues at a rate of not less than 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. A salaried employee is deemed to work 40 hours per week, unless the employee’s normal week of work is less than 40 hours. Accrued paid sick leave must carry over for each year, except that an employer may limit the accrual of paid sick leave to a maximum of 48 hours per year.

AB113 requires certain employers to make accommodations for a nursing mother. These accommodations include (1) a reasonable break time, with or without compensation, for the employee to express breast milk as needed, and (2) a clean, private place, other than a bathroom, where the employee may express such milk.

AB149 provides that non-competition agreements are void unless they are (1) supported by valuable consideration, (2) do not impose any restraint greater than is necessary to protect the employer, (3) does not impose an undue hardship on the employee, and (4) does not restrict the employee for a period of more than three months after termination. 

AB190 requires that employees working on certain sites related to the entertainment industry complete a health and safety course not later than 15 days after being hired. 

AB211 states that, if an employee prevails in any action or proceeding to recover unpaid wages, the employee may recover an amount that is treble the amount of the unpaid wages.