09/25/2025
Employer Cheat Sheet for Workplace Laws Taking Effect in October 2025
Source: Fisher Phillips, September 18, 2025
October will bring vibrant foliage, cooler temperatures, and a heap of new workplace laws. From California to Connecticut, employers across the country will be impacted by state and local requirements taking effect next month. Some trends this fall include pay transparency, paid sick leave, and data privacy protections. Here’s your employer cheat sheet to the laws taking effect in October 2025.
Note: All laws listed here will take effect on October 1 unless otherwise noted.
Michigan
- Paid Sick Leave Rules for Small Businesses. After a complicated history, Michigan’s new paid sick leave requirements began to roll out in February, but small businesses were given a delayed effective date. Starting October 1, however, employers with 10 or fewer paid workers must start complying with the Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA), subject to limited exceptions for certain new employers. To learn more about ESTA and its requirements for small businesses, read our prior FP coverage here.
Ohio: Cleveland Only
- New Pay Equity and Transparency Rules. Thanks to a new city ordinance, Cleveland employers will soon need to include salary ranges in job postings and refrain from asking job applicants questions related to their salary history. Ohio’s second-largest city joins Cincinnati, Columbus, and Toledo – as well as other cities and states across the country – in adopting pay equity and transparency rules. We answered your top questions and compiled five steps you should consider taking next.