Intro to Louisiana Labor Laws

Louisiana has enacted a new law requiring all employers, regardless of size, to provide up to 30 consecutive days of job-protected, unpaid leave to any employee who donates an organ or bone marrow. While official state guidance is pending, this new unpaid leave is expected to run concurrently with Louisiana’s existing bone marrow donor leave law, which applies to employers with 20 or more employees and provides up to 40 hours of paid, job-protected leave. Employers in Louisiana should review their current leave policies and add an organ and bone marrow donor leave policy to their employee handbook or update their existing policy to remain compliant.

Louisiana employers with 20 or more employees are now required to grant a day of leave to employees for medically necessary genetic testing and cancer screening. Employees should provide at least 15 days’ notice before taking leave. Employers may request documentation to support the request but cannot inquire about the results. Employers are not required to provide pay for this time off, although employees can use their accrued paid time off, if available.

New Orleans has amended its anti-discrimination ordinance to further define discrimination based on race or national origin by explicitly prohibiting employment discrimination based on protected cultural hairstyles commonly associated with such protected characteristics. The city joined a growing list of localities that have enacted similar laws.

Effective January 1, 2025, Louisiana’s Senate Bill 165 limits non-compete agreements for specialty and primary care physicians. The law sets a maximum duration of three years for primary care physicians and five years for specialists. Rural hospitals and those in medically underserved areas are exempt from these requirements. Employers should review and revise existing non-compete agreements to ensure they align with the new law and consider consulting legal counsel to navigate these changes effectively.

Louisiana employers are now required to provide reasonable accommodations for employees who request them due to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Employers must provide a notice of these new requirements to current employees by December 1, 2021, and notify all new employees upon hire.