With every new year comes new laws. While laws can be introduced at various points throughout the year, we tend to take a look at law changes around the time January arrives. This is often when some of the biggest changes are introduced—especially January 1.

With 2021 right around the corner, we’ve started taking a look at what you can expect in regard to law changes for the new year in Pennsylvania. Some of the changes you can expect are in regard to new overtime rules, an online health insurance exchange, as well as updates on COVID-19 economic relief.

While all drivers know it’s illegal to drive without a license, it’s important to make sure the vehicle you’re operating is allowed under the class of license you have. Illegally operating a vehicle because of improper class of license can result in fines, so it’s important to know what you’re allowed to drive.

As we head into 2020, it’s important to be aware of what law changes are coming to Pennsylvania. While the laws we’ll be discussing went into effect in mid or late 2019, most people won’t notice their effects until 2020. The first laws we’ll look at involve how the state plans to better protect the rights of crime victims.

On January 15, 2019, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that independent contractors who work in the transportation industry may not be forced into mandatory arbitration. The decision will allow contractors to defend their rights in court.

The case, New Prime Inc. v. Oliveria, involved a dispute between a trucking company and one of its drivers. When the driver, Dominic Oliveria, began working for New Prime, he was required to complete 10,000 miles of hauling freight for free. Then, as a trainee, he had to complete an additional 30,000 miles for four dollars an hour. Once he became a driver, he was deemed a contractor and was forced to lease his own truck and pay for his own gas. This would not have been the case if the company had deemed him an employee.

Just because a lawyer is famous, doesn’t mean you’ll get the results you want. Andrew Milder learned this the hard way. He was wrongfully arrested and hired Hollywood attorney, Shawn Holley. Holley has a client list full of celebrities. She was on the defense team for O.J. Simpson, represented Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian West, and Kanye West. She accompanied Kim Kardashian West to the White House when she spoke with the president about Alice Marie Johnson, a first-time drug offender who was serving a life sentence.

But Milder’s experience as Holley’s client in 2012 wasn’t a good one. His retainer agreement was $25,000, plus costs for a private investigator who would find more evidence for Andrew’s case.