There are many legal news stories happening all over the country, and it’s our job to keep you in the know about these cases. Here are some of the biggest news stories of the week.

Pennsylvania broadens safeguards against discrimination in the workplace for employees

The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), which bars employers having a workforce of more than 4 employees from discriminating against workers belonging to specific protected classes, underwent modifications that expanded the definitions of “sex”, “race”, and “religious creed”. 

The amendments brought in more comprehensive protection for the LGBTQ+ community, expectant employees, and individuals with hairstyles and hair textures commonly associated with the Black community.

The expanded protections in the PHRA are significant for Pennsylvania employers, even though some are already covered by federal law. The PHRA applies to companies with only 4 employees, thus covering smaller businesses not governed by federal law. 

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau puts forward a rule aimed at limiting excessive credit card late fees

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed a rule to control unreasonable credit card late fees, which annually cost American households approximately $12 billion. Despite this, leading credit card issuers continue to benefit from late fees protected by a broad immunity clause.

Credit card companies have taken advantage of this immunity to raise fees in line with inflation, regardless of any additional collection expenses. The proposed rule aims to make excessive late fee amounts unlawful, which according to the CFPB’s estimations, could lead to a reduction of up to $9 billion annually.

The proposal also invites feedback on further modifications to CARD Act regulations, such as applying the proposed changes to all credit card penalty fees, eliminating the immunity provision, granting a 15-day grace period before late fees can be imposed, and requiring issuers to provide autopay to use the immunity provision.

If you’re facing a legal challenge in Pennsylvania and need some expert support, our team of skilled lawyers is here to assist you. Get in touch with the Very Law team now and let’s get started!