Close of NM Legislative Session

1 month ago

Southwestern HR Consulting (SWHRC) had planned on giving an update on employment legislation that passed in this New Mexico legislative session this year but at the end of the day, very little passed. So, instead, we are highlighting some notable items that did not pass.

As we mentioned previously HB 11, the Paid Family Leave Act/aka the Welcome Child and Family Wellness Leave Act failed by a vote of 8-3.

HB 230, Cannabis Testing Certain Employees, which the legislative website signified would have clarified when drug testing would be allowed for cannabis under the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, would have provided certain protections against adverse employment actions, would have made some evidence inadmissible in civil cases, and included requirements and guidelines for determining impairment, did not pass.

HB 246 regarding Minimum Wage, which would have brought the minimum wage to $17.00/hour and would have included subsequent increases, did not pass and didn’t even get far from the starting gates.

Next year is a short legislative session with less opportunity for legislators to introduce and pass more employment related bills. SWHRC will continue reporting on employment compliance related items throughout the year, including regulatory items from the federal level. In the meantime, given that there are no new laws right now requiring your immediate attention, you may want to consider this time as an excellent opportunity to provide training to your staff. SWHRC can provide a variety of training using different delivery methods and can customize the training to your workplace. We will highlight our offering of trainings and other services we provide in future articles. Contact SWHRC today at the link above to find out more about our services and our team of experts.