Labor & Employment

died · Rhode Island · House Feb 5, 2026

HR 7367: HOUSE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE THE FORTY-HOUR WORKWEEK TO A THIRTY-TWO-HOUR WORKWEEK

Creates a 9-member commission to study and provide recommendations to reduce the forty-hour workweek to a thirty-two-hour workweek, and would report back to the House by March 15, 2027, and would expire on June 15, 2027.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly proposes studying reduction of workweek from 40 to 32 hours, advancing employment standards and worker benefits through shorter work schedules.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

Track

signed · Rhode Island · House Jun 18, 2026

HB 7361: AN ACT RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND HOSPITALS -- QUALITY SELF-DIRECTED SUPPORTS ACT OF 2026

Ensures that more developmentally disabled adults can self-direct the care they need and want, by incorporating collective bargaining rights into the self-directed supports program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables self-directed care for developmentally disabled adults, expanding patient autonomy and access to behavioral healthcare services through collective bargaining rights in support programs.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncorporates collective bargaining rights into self-directed supports program for developmentally disabled adults, advancing workers' rights through collective bargaining mechanisms.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

died · Rhode Island · House Feb 11, 2026

HB 7268: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- SMALL EMPLOYER HEALTH INSURANCE AVAILABILITY ACT

Amends the definition of "small employer" for purposes of the small employer health insurance availability act to mean a business employing less than one hundred (100) employees rather than fifty (50) employees.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands small employer eligibility from 50 to 100 employees, increasing access to health insurance coverage for more businesses.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands health insurance eligibility for more small employers, increasing access to employee benefits under employment standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Tags Small Business

Track

died · Rhode Island · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 7053: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- TEACHERS' RETIREMENT

Amends the current law on teacher’s creditable service so that a teacher who takes an unpaid parental or medical leave during the year would be given credit for a year of service for that school year if they served a minimum of 135 school days.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill ensures teachers receive retirement credit for partial service during leave, supporting educator benefits and retention.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill protects teachers' retirement benefits by granting full service credit during unpaid leave, advancing employment security and benefits for educators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Paid Leave

Track

died · Rhode Island · Senate Apr 29, 2026

SB 2324: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- CONSUMER CREDIT HISTORY EMPLOYMENT PROTECTION ACT -- DECEPTIVE TRADE PRACTICES

Prohibits employers from seeking/using credit reports in making hiring decisions concerning prospective employees, asking questions about the applicant's financial past during interviews or including credit history questions in their job applications.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits credit checks in hiring, protecting workers from financial discrimination in employment decisions95% confidence

Track

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 7365: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- PORTABLE BENEFIT PLAN

HB 7365 proposes a voluntary portable benefit plan for independent contractors, allowing them to access benefits like health insurance or retirement savings that stay with them across different jobs. The bill establishes that contributions to this plan cannot be used to determine employment classification (e.g., employee vs. independent contractor) or affect employer liability for workers' compensation. Key provisions require the plan to be offered through regulated insurance or employment security programs, ensuring benefits remain tied to the individual, not any specific employer. This applies directly to independent contractors and hiring parties who choose to participate, with no mandatory participation for either party. The bill takes effect upon passage and does not create new benefits but enables existing systems to operate portably.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill provides voluntary portable health insurance access for independent contractors, expanding coverage options and aligning with support indicators for healthcare access.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates voluntary portable benefits for independent contractors, expanding access to health/retirement savings across jobs without affecting employment classification or liability, strengthening benefit access for non-traditional workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Gig Economy Retirement Benefits

Track

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 7440: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- EMPLOYMENT SECURITY -- BENEFITS

HB 7440 allows workers who are on strike or locked out during a labor dispute to receive unemployment benefits, which they were previously denied. It directly affects employees involved in strikes or employer lockouts, removing the prior bar to benefits unless specific exceptions apply. Key provisions state workers qualify if the lockout aims to resist collective bargaining or gain concessions, but not if it responds to a strike at another company in a multi-employer group or if the employer offered a 3-day extension of current terms that was refused. The bill takes effect upon passage and clarifies that benefits continue if unemployment lasts more than a week after the dispute ends.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands unemployment benefits eligibility, increasing state expenditure on public services (unemployment insurance program)85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves denial of unemployment benefits for striking workers, directly expanding benefits and supporting collective bargaining rights during labor disputes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Unemployment

Track

signed · Rhode Island · House Jun 18, 2026

HB 7364: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- WAREHOUSE WORKER PROTECTION ACT

Requires employers to provide each employee of a warehouse distribution center, upon hire, with written description of quotas applicable to the employee within defined time periods and adverse employment action for failure to meet the quota.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires written quota transparency for warehouse workers, protecting against arbitrary enforcement of performance targets per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Workplace Safety

died · Rhode Island · Senate May 6, 2026

SB 2166: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- MINIMUM WAGES--OVERTIME

Requires small employers with one to fifty (1-50) employees and large employers with fifty (50) or more employees to pay overtime wages to exempt workers if their salary exceeds varying multipliers of minimum wage for a forty (40) hour workweek.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates overtime pay for exempt workers exceeding salary thresholds, expanding wage protections for employees under labor standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

Track

died · Rhode Island · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 2168: AN ACT RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- RETIREMENT OF MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES

Allows any peace officer working in a Rhode Island school as a full or part-time resource officer to work in excess of the 75 working days in a calendar year and not have an interruption in their benefits.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill prevents benefit interruption for municipal peace officers working over 75 days, protecting employment benefits and expanding work flexibility without penalty.95% confidence

Track