Lawrence Postol Published in Washington Lawyer
“Employment Law: How the District of Columbia Differs From Virginia, Maryland, and Most Other States”

An article by Employment partner Lawrence Postol was published in the September issue of Washington Lawyer. In the article, Larry explains that the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area falls under the jurisdiction of three sets of laws. For those to the north of the District of Columbia, Maryland law applies; for those to the south, Virginia law applies; and for those in the middle, the District has its own set of laws.

“For human resources professionals and employment lawyers, it can be a headache to become knowledgeable of employment laws for all three jurisdictions,” remarks Larry. “While Maryland and Virginia laws are very similar to federal law, the District is much more protective of employees and places more burden on employers. Among the three jurisdictions, the three main differences come down to the District’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), paid sick leave, and expanded classes of persons protected from discrimination.”

Larry outlines the main differences between the three sets of laws, emphasizing the need for employers to understand their intricacies in order to avoid possible litigation—especially since under the District’s laws, “the employee can sue right away—he or she need not wait for an investigation by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or by a state agency.”

To read the entire article, click here.