Wage and Hour

With the 2026 Colorado legislative session now complete, we have a clearer view of which labor and employment bills advanced, or stalled, and which developments deserve employers’ attention. As in recent sessions, workplace legislation remained a major focus, with proposals touching on everything from collective bargaining and worker safety to wage-setting and reporting obligations.

In this update, we revisit the bills previously identified for Colorado employers to watch, along with several additional measures introduced during the session, and explain what matters most for employers.

With the Colorado legislative session well underway, we have identified several bills of interest that Colorado employers should monitor. If enacted, these bills would expand worker protections and require certain employers to update their policies or procedures. While several of the bills authorize a private right of action, awareness and proactive compliance can help employers avoid costly litigation.

Massachusetts State House Dome

Beginning on October 29, 2025, covered employers in Massachusetts are required to disclose the minimum and maximum amount of compensation that an employer reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for a particular and specific position. Disclosure is required in external job postings, to employees who request such information, and to internal job candidates.

Dollars in a jar

With the passage of the new federal tax bill on July 4, 2025, unofficially referred to as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), employers and employees in overtime-heavy and tipped industries face new opportunities and responsibilities. Below are some key highlights of what employers need to know to better prepare for the changes.

The 2025 Colorado legislative session concluded on May 7, 2025. This latest session has brought a series of significant updates that are poised to reshape the compliance landscape for employers across the state. Among the enacted bills, several are set to introduce new requirements and labor standards compelling employers to adapt swiftly. The vetoed bills, on the other hand, highlight ongoing debates that may signal future changes.

Below we summarize the major bills affecting employers that were either passed or vetoed by Governor Jared Polis.  

Last week, a Hennepin County judge sentenced an employer following a first-of-its-kind criminal conviction for wage theft in Minnesota.

Since its enactment in 2019, Minnesota’s Wage Theft Prevention Act has imposed stringent penalties on employers who unlawfully withhold wages from employees. Under the Act, employers may face felony charges if they commit wage theft with intent to defraud their employees in an amount greater than $1,000.

Missouri’s new minimum wage and paid sick leave law (“Proposition A”) currently is subject to two legal challenges; (1) a lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of the law, and (2) a house bill that, if passed by the Senate and governor, would alter the minimum wage component of the law and eliminate paid sick leave components of the law. The paid sick leave component of the law otherwise remains scheduled to go into effect on May 1, 2025, with relevant April 15, 2025, notice and posting compliance deadlines for employers. The fate of the paid sick leave component of Proposition A—and the law as a whole—remains uncertain. In the meantime, employers should plan as though the law will go into effect as scheduled.

Stay updated with our latest blog from March 31, 2025: Pending Legal Challenges to Missouri’s New Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Law

Proposition A — Amendments to the Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations*

*Access a copy of the Proposition A full bill text here.
*Access a searchable PDF, that includes the language of Proposition A, here.

On November 5, 2024, Missouri voters approved an amendment to RSMo § 290.502, increasing the state minimum wage in 2025 and 2026. In addition, voters approved earned paid leave that employees can use for their own or their “family member’s” illness(es), preventative care, and/or to address victims’ needs resulting from domestic violence, stalking, and/or sexual assault (collectively referred to as “Paid Leave” below). Since its passage, after reading overviews of the Amendment, many of our clients still had questions about how best to implement the requirements considering their workforce and current leave policies. Most wondered if their current PTO policy would suffice as written. Below, members of Husch Blackwell’s Labor & Employment team have answered these questions.