Rhode Island Changes

Hello Friends, particularly those of you in Rhode Island.

Please find some important news for all Rhode Island based businesses.

Poster Changes:

Notice of Right to be Free from Discrimination Because of Pregnancy, Childbirth and Related Conditions: The Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights has released the Notice of Right to be Free from Discrimination Because of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Related Conditions. This new required notice protects employees and applicants from discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions. Those who are applicable have the right to request reasonable accomodation for the above conditions. The employer must provide the names, phone numbers, email addresses and physical addresses of staff members designated to handle requests for reasonable accommodation, or to act as contacts for filing complaints of discrimination. Lastly, the notice includes contact information for the Commission in case discrimination has occurred and a revision date of July 2015.

If you have not updated your poster, you need to do so.  Clients of ConnectPay can simply print the required posting from our Real HR portal.

PayCard changes:

For those of you unaware of PayCards, they are an alternative electronic delivery method of pay.  There are still many people out there without bank accounts.  Commonly known as the “unbanked”.  Companies can save hundreds of dollars a year on payroll fees by simply being “Green”.  If you have any employees still getting live checks each payday, consider offering them a PayCard.  They are free to the employer and the first withdrawal every pay period must be free to the employee.  If you have any questions on saving money and going Green, don’t hesitate to contact me.  Here’s the info you’ll need to know:

Rhode Island recently amended its wage payment statute to expressly authorize the use of payroll cards on a voluntary basis. House Bill number 5590-A amended section 28-14-10.1 of Rhode Island’s General Laws and became effective July 15, 2015. Under the revised statute, employers may pay an employee using a payroll card so long as the employee has provided written or electronic consent. The statute continues to require employee consent for traditional direct deposit as well.

The new law requires employers to select payroll card programs that comply with Federal Regulation E, and allow employees to make at least one withdrawl of up to the employee’s new wages each pay period without cost. If an employee is paid more ferquently than weekly, the program must instead allow at least one withdrawal each week of up to the full amount of the employee’s wages for the week without cost. Global Cash Card offers all protections required by federal Regulation E and allows cardholders the ability to make an unlimited number of free withdrawals at any bank that is a member of the payment brand (i.e., Visa or MasterCard).

House Bill 5590-A became Act Number 246, and can be viewed at webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law15/llaw15246.htm.

Mitch Zucker

2352 Main St., suite 303

Concord, MA. 01742

Office: 978-450-2900

Mobile:  774-218-9486

Fax:  978-319-4104

m.zucker@connectpay.us.com