Fair Employment Practices | Employers are not allowed to mistreat people or harass them because of protected characteristics like race, color, gender, national origin, marital status, disability, or religion, according to the Nebraska Fair Employment Practices Act.
In addition, employers are not allowed to discriminate against older workers (40 years and older) based on their age under the Nebraska Age Discrimination in Employment Act.
The anti-discrimination rules of Nebraska prohibit employers from taking adverse action against workers who complain about discriminatory hiring practices, report a violation, testify, participate, or help in legal procedures. |
Equal Pay | The Nebraska Equal Pay Act (NEPA) forbids employers with two or more workers from discriminating against workers within the same establishment based on gender by paying any employee wages that are lower than those paid to employees of the opposite gender for work that requires an equal level of skill, effort, and responsibility while working in similar conditions. |
Discussion of Wages | Employers cannot treat employees or applicants differently because they ask questions or share information about their pay, benefits, or other remuneration. |
Pregnancy Accommodation | According to the NFEPA, employers with 15 or more workers must make appropriate accommodations for women experiencing pregnancy, childbirth, and other related medical problems. |
Minimum Wage | Employers in Nebraska must pay their workers a minimum wage of $10.50 per hour, with a few exceptions, such as student workers, trainees, and tipped staff. Employers who now have four or more employees must adhere to Nebraska's minimum wage laws. |
Meal Breaks | Employees are entitled to a meal break of at least 30 minutes from employers who own or operate assembly lines, workshops, or mechanical businesses during each eight-hour shift. Employees must be relieved of all obligations and cannot be forced to stay within the structure or on the property where their work is being done. |
Child Labor | In Nebraska, there are restrictions on the kind of jobs minors can work and the hours and days they can work. Minors are generally not allowed to work in hazardous jobs or places where "his or her morals may be depraved." |
Health Continuation Coverage | In Nebraska, employers with fewer than 20 workers must provide their staff members and dependents with continuing health care coverage. |
Pay Frequency | Every wage owed by an employee in Nebraska must be paid on regular days set by the employer or approved by both the employer and the employee. Before changing paydays, an employer must give employees 30 days' written notice. |
Pay Statements | On payday, an employer is required to give each employee a pay statement that includes details such as the employer's name, the hours for which the employee is being paid, the total amount of earnings earned by the employee during the pay period, and any deductions made from that pay. |
Wage Deductions | If a deduction from an employee's pay is mandated by state or federal law and has been specifically approved in writing by the employee (for example, for health insurance, retirement, breakages, uniforms, or cash shortages), the employer may make the deduction. |
Leaves of Absence | Nebraska has several regulations governing mandated vacation time and employee leaves of absence. These regulations cover military leave for family members, military leave, voting leave, leave for election officials, jury service, and emergency responders. |
Smoke-Free Workplace | The Nebraska Clean Indoor Air Act forbids smoking in public and workplace settings but has no such restrictions or prohibitions for smoking outdoors. |
Weapons in the Workplace | When a location or set of premises is open to the public and the employer has posted a notice that carrying a concealed handgun is prohibited there, the employer may forbid a permit holder from entering or entering the location with a concealed handgun.
Employers may also forbid staff members or other gun permit holders from transporting concealed weapons in company cars. |
Safe Driving Practices | Drivers in Nebraska are not allowed to read, type, or transmit messages while operating a vehicle. |
Final Pay | Employees who have been fired must get their final pay, which includes accrued vacation time, by the following normal paycheck or within two weeks of the termination date, whichever comes first. |