Page 193 - An Indispensible Resource for Being a Credible Activist

Equal employment opportunity. The Commonwealth law concerning equal employment
opportunity was amended to ensure that neither employers nor their establishments perform
any discriminatory act. If such an act of discrimination should be committed, the entity per-
forming the discrimination will be charged with a misdemeanor and will receive a fine of
not more than $5,000, 90 days’ incarceration, or both.
Wages paid. Legislation was enacted to permit employers to deduct or withhold part of
the salary earned by an employee when the employee authorizes the employer, in writing,
to deduct an amount from the wages due as a contribution, gift, or donation to the fund-
raising campaigns of the University of Puerto Rico.

RHODE ISLAND

Prevailing wage. All general contractors and subcontractors who perform work on any pub-
lic-works contract awarded by the State and valued at $1,000,000 or more shall employ
apprentices for the performance of the contract. The number of apprentices shall comply
with the apprentice-to-journeyman ratio for each trade approved by the apprenticeship
council of the State Department of Labor and Training.
Time off. The State General Laws were amended by the legislative addition of the State
Military Family Relief Act. Employers in the State who employ between 15 and 50 employ-
ees shall provide up to 15 days of unpaid family military leave to an employee during the
time Federal or State orders are in effect. Any employer in the State who employs more than
50 employees shall provide up to 30 days of unpaid family military leave during the time
Federal or State orders are in effect. The employee shall give at least 14 days of notice of the
intended date upon which such leave will commence if the leave consists of five or more
consecutive workdays. Employees taking less than five consecutive days shall give the
employer advance notice as is practicable. Whenever possible, the employee shall consult
with the employer to schedule the leave so as not to unduly disrupt the operations of the
employer. An employee shall not take such leave unless he or she has exhausted all accrued
vacation leave, personal leave, compensatory leave, and any other leave that may be
granted, with the exception of sick leave and disability leave. Employers shall not interfere
with, restrain, or deny an employee’s exercise of or attempt to exercise the right to such
leave under the law. Employers shall not discharge, fine, suspend, expel, discipline, or dis-
criminate in any manner against any employee who exercises his or her right under the law.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Immigrant protection. The State Code of Laws was amended to enact the State Illegal Immi-
gration Reform Act, requiring that every agency or political subdivision of the State verify
the lawful presence of any person 18 years or older who has applied for State or local pub-
lic benefits or public employment. On or after January 1, 2009, every public employer shall
register and participate in the Federal work authorization program to verify the authoriza-
tion of all new employees. No contract will be let with a public employer unless the con-
tractor and all levels of subcontractors agree to register and participate in the Federal work

176 The H R Toolkit