labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Labor laws saw a lot of changes during 2007. As the New Year approaches, businesses should take the time to ensure that their labor law posters reflect these changes.

Michigan employers need to understand that many of the changes apply to them as well, and that their posters need to be updated.

The updated list of 2008 Michigan labor law posters is:

• OSHA- Health and Safety Protection
• Wage Deviation
• Michigan Discrimination Notice
• Unemployment Insurance
• Overtime Compensation Rules
• Michigan Minimum Wage (parts 1 - 3)
• Michigan Child Labor
• Workers’ Compensation
• Whistleblowers’ Protection Act
• Right-to-Know/MSDS

These posters must be displayed by every employer in the state of Michigan. In addition, federal law requires that employers display a number of posters related to nationwide statutes.

The 2008 labor law posters required by federal law are:

• USERRA - Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act
• Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law
• Federal Minimum Wage
• Employee Polygraph Protection Act
• Family and Medical Leave Act
• OSHA-Job Safety & Health Protection

The year 2007 saw more changes to labor laws than most years do. Some of the changes during 2007 had to do with smoking and the sale of cigarettes.

In Alaska, Child Labor Laws prohibit anyone under the age of 19 from buying cigarettes. Until October, though, a teen could work where cigarettes were sold, such as convenience stores and gas stations. Concern was expressed that teens working in these places could be selling cigarettes to their underage buddies. The Child Labor Laws were therefore amended to also ban anyone under the age of 19 from selling cigarettes.

Two states enacted strict bans on smoking in the workplace. In Illinois, almost every employment venue, including restaurants, bars and casinos went non-smoking. Ohio, too, banned smoking and posted no-smoking signs at all entrances at all workplaces.

The other changes during 2007 had to do with increases in the minimum wage. The federal minimum wage went up from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour in 2007 as a result of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. Several states across the country also raised their minimum wage at the same time.

At other times in 2007, many other states enacted raises for their minimum wage, too. West Virginia, Maine, Washington, Oregon and Oklahoma did so, along with a number of other states.

The minimum wage is scheduled to go up again in 2008. On July 24, the federal minimum wage will increase from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour. As with the increase in 2007, several other states will bump up their minimum wage, too, as a result of the federal minimum going up.

Employers are required by law to ensure that all labor law posters for 2008 are up to date. Failure to comply with the law can result in a fine for the business.

One of the major changes during 2007 related to minimum wage. The federal minimum wage, as a result of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, went from $5.15 to $5.58 per hour. Nearly a dozen states increased their minimum wage on the same day.

Also, during the 2007, several other states, including Utah, Washington, Oregon, and West Virginia increased their state minimum wage.

Both state and federal law require that every employer prominently display the posters in an area where they can been seen by every employee. Popular locations are a bulletin board, near the time clock or in the break room.

The most common reason for employers to update posters includes statute changes, especially to minimum wage laws. In just the past few months, employers in New Hampshire, Nevada and Maine have updated their labor law posters as the state minimum wages changed. The most recent increase was on October 1, 2007 when the New Hampshire minimum wage increased to $6.50  per hour.

 

 

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