Iowa Association of Business & Industry v. Waterloo: Decision
This decision from the Iowa Supreme Court upheld portions of Waterloo’s ban-the-box ordinance, holding that the city can regulate when an employer can ask a job applicant about their criminal history, but cannot regulate whether or not an employer relies on an applicant’s criminal history at all.
Cleveland v. Ohio (OH Supreme Court): Merits Brief by the City of Cleveland
Brief filed by the City of Cleveland arguing that the city’s enactment of the Fannie Lewis local hire law was an exercise of police power and that a state law limiting the authority of Ohio cities to enact local hire laws violates the state constitution’s prohibition against special laws.
Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Assoc. v. Pittsburgh: Decision
Pennsylvania appellate court decision holding that Pittsburgh lacked the authority to enact a paid sick time ordinance because 2nd class cities—like Pittsburgh—are statutorily barred from enacting “business regulations.” The dissent argues that Pittsburgh’s paid sick time ordinance was a valid use of its police powers to enact ordinances to protect health and safety. This case is currently being appealed.
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 99 v. Arizona: Decision
Arizona Superior Court decision holding that an Arizona law preempting local regulation of employee benefits was invalid because the Voter Protection Act prevents the state Legislature from amending or superseding voter-approved initiatives unless the state law either furthers the purposes of the initiative or is passed by a three-fourths majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate, and Arizona voters had previously approved an initiative that explicitly preserved the power of municipalities to regulate “wages and other benefits.
Graco v. City of Minneapolis: Decision
Minnesota District Court decision upholding Minnesota’s minimum wage ordinance, finding that a state minimum wage statute did not impliedly preempt a local ordinance requiring a higher minimum wage.
Lewis v. Bentley: Decision
This is the District Court (N.D. Ala.) decision that the state law preempting Birmingham’s minimum wage violated neither the Federal Voting Rights Act nor the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This decision is currently being appealed.
Cleveland v. Ohio (Court of Common Pleas): Decision
Ohio Court of Common Pleas Decision granting a permanent injunction on Ohio’s enforcement of a law prohibiting municipalities from adopting local hire ordinances, holding that the state law unconstitutionally infringed on Cleveland’s Home Rule powers.
Minnesota Chamber of Commerce v. Minneapolis (District Court): Decision
Minnesota District Court decision declining to preliminarily enjoin Minneapolis’s paid sick time ordinance, except to the extent that it applies to employers outside of Minneapolis. The decision holds that Minneapolis was likely to succeed on the issue of whether the ordinance was preempted by state law but that it was unclear whether Minneapolis could enforce the ordinance against employers outside of Minneapolis. This case is currently pending at the intermediate appellate level.
Kansas City v. Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners: Decision
Missouri Supreme Court decision allowing Kansas City to submit a ballot proposal on raising the minimum wage, but not addressing any substantive arguments as to whether such a minimum wage increase would be nullified by Missouri state law preempting local minimum wage increases.
Cleveland v. Ohio (Court of Common Pleas): Complaint
Complaint filed by Cleveland seeking to invalidate an Ohio law that would preempt municipal local hire requirements, arguing that the state law violates the Home Rule powers of Ohio municipalities.
Lewis v. Bentley: Complaint
This complaint was filed by the NAACP arguing that an Alabama state law preempting Birmingham’s minimum wage ordinance violates the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution and the Federal Voting Rights Act.