Labor & Employment

signed · Utah · House Mar 23, 2026

HB 130: Employment Medical Examination Expense Amendments

HB 130 prohibits employers in Utah from requiring employees or job applicants to pay for medical examinations (including drug tests) as a condition of hiring or employment. It directly affects workers and prospective employees who might otherwise be charged fees for required health screenings. The bill mandates that employers cover all costs of these exams, bans reimbursement schemes where employees pay upfront and get refunded later, and establishes enforcement through the Labor Division, allowing workers to file claims within one year for violations. If an employer violates the law, they must reimburse affected individuals and may face daily penalties of up to 5% of the fees paid, with penalties retained 50% for enforcement costs and 50% returned to the worker.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employers from charging workers for medical exams, requiring employers to cover costs directly protects employee financial rights and reduces employment barriers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 166: Line-of-Duty Death Benefit Amendments

This bill allows Utah's Local Public Safety and Firefighter Surviving Spouse Trust Fund to reimburse employers for health coverage costs they paid between May 1, 2024, and May 7, 2025, for surviving spouses and dependent children of public safety or firefighter employees who died on duty. It specifically covers premiums and health savings account contributions already paid by employers during that period. The reimbursement uses existing money in the trust fund, requiring no new state funding. This change applies retroactively to costs incurred before the bill's effective date of May 6, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill reimburses employers for health coverage costs for surviving spouses/children of line-of-duty-deceased public safety workers, directly expanding benefits under Labor & Employment through Public Employees Health Program.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 396: Public Project Subcontractor Amendments

HB 396 modifies disclosure rules for subcontractors working on Utah public construction projects. It requires subcontractors to sign a statement confirming they have no employees (to qualify for a "zero estimated exposure" workers' compensation policy) and to report employee details to the state division. The bill also mandates general contractors and property owners to keep records for audits, shifts interest rates and penalties for unemployment insurance to be set by rule, and expands "unprofessional conduct" to include failing to meet these new requirements. These changes directly affect subcontractors, contractors, and property owners involved in public construction projects.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates subcontractors to report employee details and verify no employees to qualify for workers' comp, strengthening compliance and ensuring coverage for workers on public projects.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Utah · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 44: School Security Personnel Standards

HB 44 updates Utah school safety standards for security personnel. It allows county security chiefs to approve private companies to train school safety staff, requires school districts to provide panic alert devices for certain personnel, and expands the definition of "armed school security guard" to include special function officers. The bill also clarifies rules for school guardians carrying firearms on duty, establishes protocols for using deadly force, and mandates annual/biannual training on firearm safety, de-escalation, and emergency response. These changes directly affect school security personnel, county security chiefs, and local school districts across Utah.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates panic alert devices and annual training for school security personnel, directly improving workplace safety standards for this worker group.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Utah · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 380: Hospital Workplace Violence Reporting Requirements

HB 380 requires Utah hospitals to establish systems for tracking and reporting workplace violence incidents involving staff. Hospitals must record details like incident timing, victim job roles, perpetrator type (patient, visitor, or employee), and responses; prohibit retaliation against reporters; and submit quarterly data to medical/nursing leadership by November 2026. They must also maintain records for two years and provide annual reports to the state department. The bill also delays repealing enhanced criminal penalties for violence against health facility employees until 2032.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to track/report workplace violence against staff, enhancing safety for healthcare workers (a core healthcare workforce protection measure).90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates hospitals to track workplace violence, prohibit retaliation against reporters, and improve safety reporting - directly advancing worker safety protections in Labor & Employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 111: Veterinary Post-employment Amendments

SB 111 prohibits most non-compete agreements between veterinarians and their employers in Utah after May 6, 2026, making such agreements unenforceable. It allows exceptions if a veterinarian owns at least 5% of the business. The bill also voids clauses requiring disputes over these agreements to be resolved outside Utah and invalidates certain nonsolicitation or nondisclosure clauses for veterinarians. This directly affects veterinarians and businesses employing them by limiting restrictive employment contracts. The law takes effect on May 6, 2026, with no funding impact.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits non-compete agreements for veterinarians, protecting their right to change employers without legal restrictions, directly advancing worker mobility and rights.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Utah · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 89: Health Care Services Platforms

SB 89 creates a registration system for health care services platforms in Utah, which are digital tools connecting independent health care workers (like nurses or technicians) with facilities. It directly affects these platforms, requiring them to register with the state by January 2026, verify workers’ licenses and background checks, and maintain insurance. The bill prohibits platforms from forcing non-compete agreements, charging workers fees for job placements, or restricting workers from using other platforms or accepting direct employment. Physicians, advanced practice nurses, and physician assistants are explicitly excluded from these requirements, as they are already regulated under separate licensing laws. The registration fee is capped at $500 annually, with no state funds appropriated for implementation.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits non-compete agreements and placement fees for health care workers, directly protecting their employment rights and earnings under platform arrangements.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Utah · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 73: Public Employee Retaliatory Action Amendments

HB 73 amends Utah's Public Employee Retaliatory Action law to specifically prohibit state employers from making complaints to professional licensing boards against employees who report wrongdoing. This directly protects public employees (including whistleblowers) from retaliation that could threaten their professional licenses. The key change adds "making a complaint to a licensing body" to the list of prohibited retaliatory actions, alongside dismissal or pay cuts. The law now explicitly covers situations where an employer tries to use licensing authorities to punish an employee for reporting issues.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProtects public employees from retaliation for reporting wrongdoing by prohibiting state employers from making complaints to licensing boards, strengthening whistleblower protections.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

passed · Utah · Senate Mar 7, 2026

SB 316: Public Employee Attorney Fee Recovery Amendments

SB 316 modifies Utah law to clarify when public employees (like police officers or government workers) can recover attorney fees and court costs after being charged criminally for actions related to their job. It requires prosecutors' offices (municipal, county, district, or state) to pay 50% of these fees if the employee is acquitted or charges are dismissed, with one key change: the exception for dismissals by prosecutors now only applies if the dismissal happens more than 45 days after a preliminary hearing. The bill specifically limits this exception to charges filed as "information" (not indictments) and ensures employees aren’t barred from recovery if charges are dismissed within that 45-day window. This affects public employees facing criminal charges tied to their official duties, making it easier to recover legal costs in certain cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill ensures public employees (including law enforcement) recover 50% of attorney fees upon acquittal, protecting financial interests in job-related criminal cases.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentClarifies public employee attorney fee recovery upon acquittal, protecting workers from legal costs related to job duties.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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passed · Utah · Senate Mar 7, 2026

SB 258: Infant at Work Amendments

SB 258 makes Utah's Infant at Work Program permanent, expanding it beyond the Department of Health and Human Services to allow other state executive agencies to join. The bill directly affects state employees with infants aged 6 weeks to 6 months who have worked at least 1,250 hours over 12 consecutive months. Key provisions require agencies to get approval from the Division of Human Resource Management, adopt written policies for workplace safety, and evaluate each employee’s eligibility based on their work environment and operational needs. The program allows eligible employees to bring their infants to work while maintaining sole responsibility for the infant’s care and safety during work hours.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates workplace safety policies for state employees with infants, directly strengthening protections for new parents under Labor & Employment standards.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

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