Rhode Island employment law compliance requirements

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited under Title VII.

42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2 · effective Jan 2020

Prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. · effective Jan 2020

WARN notices must include: whether closing/layoff is permanent or temporary, expected date, whether bumping rights exist, name/contact for company representative.

29 U.S.C. § 2102 · effective Jan 2020

Applicable Large Employers (50+ full-time and full-time-equivalent employees) must offer affordable, minimum-value health coverage to full-time employees and their dependents or risk an employer shared responsibility payment.

26 U.S.C. § 4980H · effective Jan 2015

Agreement must advise employee to consult with attorney

29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(E) · effective Oct 1990

Eligible employees entitled to 12 weeks unpaid leave

29 U.S.C. § 2612(a)(1) · effective Aug 1993

Employers must maintain anti-harassment policies

42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2 · effective Jul 1964

Employers with 18 or more employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick and safe leave per year. Employers with fewer than 18 employees must provide unpaid sick leave.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-57-1 et seq. · effective Jul 2018 · source

Rhode Island provides up to 6 weeks of paid caregiver leave to care for a seriously ill family member or bond with a new child, funded through employee payroll deductions.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-40-1 et seq. · effective Jan 2023 · source

Employers with 4 or more employees must adopt a written policy against sexual harassment and distribute it to all employees annually.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-51-2 · effective Jan 1997 · source

Employers must provide 60 days advance notice of plant closings (50+ employees) or mass layoffs (500+ or 50-499 if 33% of workforce).

29 U.S.C. § 2101 et seq. · effective Jan 2020

60 days advance notice for plant closings and mass layoffs

29 U.S.C. § 2102 · effective Feb 1989

Separated employees must be paid all wages due on the next regular payday. For employees with at least one year of service, accrued vacation must be paid out upon separation.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-14-4 · effective Jan 2016 · source

Employees 40+ must be given 21 days to consider individual severance agreements

29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(F)(i) · effective Oct 1990

Employees 40+ in group terminations must be given 45 days to consider

29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(F)(ii) · effective Oct 1990

Employees 40+ must be given 21 days to consider a separation agreement that includes a release of age discrimination claims.

29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(F) · effective Jan 2020

In group terminations, employees 40+ must be given 45 days to consider a separation agreement.

29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(H) · effective Jan 2020

Rhode Island's minimum wage is scheduled to increase to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2025, up from $14.00 per hour in 2024.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-12-3 · effective Jan 2025 · source

Federal minimum wage rate

29 U.S.C. § 206(a)(1) · effective Jul 2009

Applicable Large Employers (50+ full-time and full-time-equivalent employees) must file annual information returns (Forms 1094-C and 1095-C) with the IRS and furnish Form 1095-C to each full-time employee.

26 U.S.C. § 6056 · effective Jan 2015

Private employers with 100 or more employees (and certain federal contractors with 50 or more) must annually file the EEO-1 Component 1 Report with the EEOC, reporting workforce demographic data by job category, sex, race, and ethnicity.

42 U.S.C. § 2000e-8(c) · effective Jan 1966

Employers must provide employees with a 20-minute meal break for a 6-hour shift, and a 30-minute meal break for an 8-hour shift.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-3-14 · effective Jul 2007 · source

Non-compete agreements are void and unenforceable against low-wage employees, hourly non-exempt employees, students, and minors.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-59-1 et seq. · effective Jan 2020

Employers must provide the wage range for a position upon request, at the time of hire, and upon transfer or promotion. Employers are also prohibited from inquiring about an applicant's wage history.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-6-22 · effective Jan 2023 · source

Employees 40+ must have 7 days to revoke after signing

29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(G) · effective Oct 1990

Overtime pay for hours worked over 40 in a workweek

29 U.S.C. § 207(a)(1) · effective Oct 1938

Group terminations must disclose job titles and ages of affected employees

29 U.S.C. § 626(f)(1)(H) · effective Oct 1990

Employers are prohibited from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history on an initial written application.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-5-7(7) · effective Jan 2014 · source

Rhode Island requires certain employers, primarily in retail, to pay employees 1.5 times their regular rate for work performed on Sundays and specific holidays.

R.I. Gen. Laws § 25-3-3 · effective Jan 2023 · source