Quick Hits<\/p>\n
Effective August 1, 2025, Louisiana\u2019s Employment Discrimination Law now includes military status as a protected class, extending anti-discrimination protections to military personnel, veterans, and their dependents.<\/p>\n
A new exemption to Louisiana\u2019s final pay law, effective August 1, 2025, excludes partnership distributions from the standard wage payment requirements upon the termination of employment.<\/p>\n
Louisiana\u2019s Employment Discrimination Law Expanded to Include Military Status<\/p>\n
Effective August 1, 2025, Louisiana\u2019s Employment Discrimination Law (LEDL) now includes \u201cmilitary status\u201d as a protected class, extending to military personnel and veterans protections against discrimination in hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoffs, training, benefits, and other terms of employment. The new law, Act No. 100<\/a>, also prohibits discrimination based on military status in housing, education, and public accommodations.<\/p>\n Notably, the LEDL now also protects spouses\/family members against employment discrimination if they are a dependent of a military service member. Under the new law, \u201cmilitary status\u201d is defined to include individuals who are \u201cmember[s] of the uniformed services \u2026 of the United States\u201d or its reserve components, or dependents of such service members who have been supported by them for at least 180 days.<\/p>\n Key Takeaways for Employers<\/p>\n Employers may want to immediately review and update anti-discrimination and equal employment opportunity (EEO) policies, and also review and update handbooks to include military status.<\/p>\n Human resources teams and managers may want to incorporate training for new protections and how to adequately respond to requests related to military service, including leave or adjustments to schedules.<\/p>\n New Exemption From Louisiana\u2019s Wage Payment Act for Partnership Distributions<\/p>\n The legislature also added a new provision to the Louisiana Wage Payment Act (LWPA), which requires payment of wages to employees after termination of employment. Specifically, Act No. 113<\/a> provides that the existing provisions regarding the obligation to pay wages earned at the time of termination do not apply to \u201cprofits interest granted or issued by an entity that is taxed as a partnership for federal income tax purposes,\u201d even though the recipient was an employee. Notably, Act No. 113 does not include a similar exemption for limited liability companies (LLCs).<\/p>\n This change clarifies the scope of final wage payment requirements. Under the new law, certain types of compensation related to partnership interests are excluded from the standard requirements that require timely payment of wages upon termination of employment. This law also became effective August 1, 2025.<\/p>\n Key Takeaways for Employers<\/p>\n For businesses that operate as partnerships with compensation structures tied to profits interests, the exemption will effectively prevent disputes over whether those interests should be treated like standard wages payable upon termination of employment.<\/p>\n The exemption ensures that entities operating as partnerships (taxed accordingly) are not required to treat \u201cprofits interest granted or issued\u201d like cash wages, which might otherwise have administrative or financial implications upon an employee\u2019s exit.<\/p>\n Ogletree Deakins\u2019 New Orleans office<\/a> will continue to monitor developments and will provide updates on the Louisiana<\/a> blog as additional information becomes available.<\/p>\n Follow and Subscribe
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