labor lawAdivision of labor law center

As 2008 approaches, employers need to check their labor law posters to make sure the information is up to date.

The 2008 Arizona labor law posters have gone through several changes and companies need to take appropriate action. As a result of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, the federal minimum wage rose for the first time in about 10 years from $5.15 per hour to $5.85 per hour. Several states raised their minimum wages at the same time.

During 2007, many other states, including Texas, Maine, Utah, and North Carolina established higher state minimum wages, too.

Other changes occurred to labor laws in 2007 that required companies to modernize their posters. For example, a new tough ban on smoking at work was established in Ohio. Businesses there had to post no-smoking signs at every entrance.

The 2008 Arizona labor law posters that every employer must display are:

• Workers’ Compensation
• Unemployment Insurance
• Arizona Discrimination Notice
• Work Exposure to Bodily Fluids
• Constructive Discharge Notice
• OSHA - Health and Safety Protection

In addition, under federal law, every Arizona employer must display the following posters that cover U.S. labor law:

• 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

In other changes to labor law in 2007, Illinois also enacted a tough law regarding smoking. Almost every work environment, even restaurants bars and casinos are now non-smoking. Labor law posters will need to be updated as a result of these changes.

Until October, teens in Alaska could be employed by a gas station or convenience store that sold cigarettes. And though it was already illegal in Alaska for anyone under the age of 19 to buy cigarettes, people were concerned that these teens could be selling cigarettes to friends who might be underage. The Child Labor Laws, therefore, were amended to prohibit anyone under the age of 19 from selling cigarettes.

In addition to the changes in 2007, more changes are scheduled to occur in 2008.

On January 1 and July 1, 2008, over 20 states will increase their state minimum wage.

On July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage will go up again time from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour. Again, the states that bump their minimum wage when the federal rate rises, will increase their minimum wage rates on that day.

More than a dozen states will increase their minimum wages on January 1, 2008. These include Delaware, Oregon, Washington, California, Florida, Iowa, New Mexico, Massachusetts, Vermont, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, Montanan and Ohio. The lowest rate to be increased is in Montana, where the state minimum wage will increase from $6.15 per hour to $6.26. In Missouri and New Mexico, the state rate will go to $6.50.

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 $5.85 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.

One of the most common posters that you’ll find in states’ employment law poster collections are the Workers Compensation Posters. They are important because workers’ comp is one of the most pressing topics for employers at the moment, and for states and insurers as well.

Workers Compensation Posters are for when employees get hurt on the job, or sick on the job for that matter. In that case, the Workers Compensation Posters tell employees to notify their employers immediately. The general course of events that follows includes visits to doctors, determination of the employees’ ability to continue working, and then either disability time or a return to work.

This regular process alone costs employers money, but then what really hits their pocket books is when workers’ comp situations go to court. That happens when employers deny their workers workers’ comp benefits on the grounds of either they’re not really hurt, or they did not get hurt at work. Employers can also say that employees are directly at fault for their injuries, for instance, if they were drunk on the job.

Most state Workers Compensation Posters go over the details of their state laws on the topics in hopes of preventing a full flown court case. Depending on the state, the Workers Compensation Posters can explain if the state has “no-fault” workers’ comp rules or not. No-fault rules mean that an employee is deserved of workers’ comp benefits no matter how they got hurt at work, and no matter if they were to blame for their injuries (say, if they were negligent about safety).

State Workers Compensation Posters can also differ in the amount of time that they give employees to report any injury incidence to their employers. Generally, if the employee fails to report an injury to their employer within this timeframe, they are not eligible for the workers’ comp benefits.

I hope you’ll take a minute or two so that I can help you understand the requirements for keeping your Arizona posters up to date. Part of the basic information about the posters is that employers must place them in a common area, where workers meet on a regular basis or gather for lunch, for example.  Remember that laws can and do change, and laws are sometimes amended slightly each year.  Therefore, keeping the Arizona posters current can be very important. 

Any changes in information or in what is required of the employer or employee can be passed on to the workers through the Arizona posters.  These posters are designed to keep employees informed about their specific labor rights but it is up to the employer to put them in a place where they can be easily seen.  The Arizona posters required by law include Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, Discrimination Notice, Work Exposure to Bodily Fluids, Constructive Discharge Notice, OSHA-Health and Safety Protection. 

Employers should understand that there are definite federal requirements as well.  These include 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, and OSHA-Job Safety & Health Protection.  Companies are now required to inform employees of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA) and Arizona posters can help meet this federal requirement. 

USERRA posters tell veterans and their employers how the law affects those in the armed services, reserves, and National Guard.  The new law went into effect in February 2005 and states that members of the armed services may reclaim their civilian employment upon returning from military service.  This can be very important for both the worker and the employer, and that is why the USERRA poster should be part of the Arizona posters displayed.  In addition, if there is a labor inspection, the inspector may check to see if the posters are up to date.  Not only does this make sure that the employer is following both state and federal rules but it also advises the worker of their employment rights.  For this reason, it is in the employer’s best interest to keep the information updated. 

This may be the right time to check out your Arizona posters to see if any laws or information have changed since the last time they were posted. Laws specific to health and safety, polygraph tests, and unemployment can and do change.  If so, this new information needs to be provided to the employee.  One of the best ways to get this information to the employee is by properly displaying the Arizona posters.

You probably already know about the Arizona (AZ) Employment Labor Poster requirement. The state of Arizona requires certain labor law posters to be placed in a conspicuous place, like in an employee break room, so that everyone can see them. In fact, you may be so used to seeing these posters sprinkled throughout the workplace that you don’t 3even notice them any more. But the presence of Arizona Employemnet Labor Posters is extremely important, both for employers and workers. 

The Arizona (AZ) Employment Labor Posters have specific laws that relate to employment. The posters tell employees how to report violations and where to receive assistance. These laws and the related posters are updated at a minimum of once a year, so if you are an employer and you haven’t replaced them recently, you’ll want to get the newest posters right away. 

The state of Arizona requires that the following Employment Labors Posters be posted: Worker’s Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, Discrimination Notice, Work Exposure to Bodily Fluids, Constructive Discharge Notice, and OSHA-Health and Safety Protection. In addition, the Federal laws listed on posters that are required include: 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. 

As I write this, I am reminded that Arizona is one of only six states that doesn’t have a minimum wage law. So the only poster related to minimum wage that is required in Arizona is the Federal one. I will try to keep you updated on changes as they happen, since it is the responsibility of employers to have the latest version of the Employment Labor Posters on their walls. Please check back often for new information. 

In Arizona, posters outlining state and federal labor laws need to be posted in all workplaces. It’s the employer’s responsibility to do this and to make sure that they are accessible to all employees. This means that the posters should be in a work room, break room, mail room or any other place that all employees are likely to visit on a regular basis. A great place to choose is the place where employees gather before or after work or on their breaks.

Arizona posters need to have certain laws outlined on them to be legal according to labor laws. The state posters should outline the following laws: Worker’s Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, Discrimination Notices, Work Exposure to Bodily Fluids, Constructive Discharge Notice and OSHA – Health and Safety Protection. Federal laws outlined on Arizona posters include 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 and OSHA – Job Safety and Health Protection.

Employers need to post these laws in the workplace for the employees’ protection, but they are quite useful for the employer as well. While they outline the employee’s rights within the workplace and give them the protocol for complaints or how to deal with violations to these laws, the Arizona posters also give the employers a great resource. By knowing the laws and the employee’s rights, employers will be aware of their responsibilities when it comes to Arizona labor laws and they will also know what exactly is expected and them in situations outlined by these laws – they’ll know their current obligations to the Family and Medical Leave Act, for example.

Since labor laws frequently change, it’s very important for employers in Arizona to make sure they update their posters just as frequently. Not having posters and not keeping posters current are both against the law.