labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Rather than rushing around to various poster stores, you can easily get all your Colorado labor law posters from a single online source. Our high-quality laminated posters and unmatchable services will help save a lot of time, effort, and money while ensuring compliance at the same time.

It is mandatory to display the Colorado labor law poster at a prominent location at your workplace. Our space-saving poster has all required notices strategically placed in a single poster for convenience. This poster is laminated on both sides and printed in full color to provide for durability, ease of use, and legibility.

Our 20.5 inch x 28.5 inch poster can be viewed by all your employees and can prevent costly lawsuits in the future as well as heavy penalties due to non-compliance. The Colorado labor law poster contains various important notices including Workers’ Compensation, Payday Notice, Unemployment Insurance, Discrimination Notice, and the 2013 Minimum Wage Poster.

Furthermore, the state of Colorado also requires you to confirm the legal work status of each employee on your payroll. You can use our Colorado affirmation form that adheres to the revised Statute 8-2-122. This form contains a detailed checklist to make sure that you remain compliant with all requirements of the revised Statute. You are required by Colorado law to check and authenticate the legal work status of all your employees and our affirmation form makes your work a lot easier.

An initial fine of $5,000 for first-time offenders and $25,000 for repeat offences should be motivation enough for you to make sure that you use the Colorado affirmation form within 20 days of hiring any employee. We offer these forms in convenient packs of 25 with each form measuring 8.5 inches by 11 inches.

In addition to all required Colorado labor law posters, we offer several other products including Colorado State legal forms, forklift posters, choking posters, and OSHA safety forms. We also provide federal law posters and a wide range of safety kits, workplace DVDs/videos, employee gifts, awards, and cards, and placards to ensure safety as well as raise motivation levels at your workplace.

There are several state and federal laws that need to be complied with once you start a business in the state of Colorado. You need not end up with bad quality or outdated posters since our website www.laborlawcenter.com offers and delivers updated and top-quality Colorado labor law posters right at your doorstep with just a few clicks.

All businesses in Colorado need to prominently display many state and federal law posters at the workplace. Failure to do so can result in heavy penalties and lawsuits too. In addition to various federal labor law posters, we at www.laborlawcenter.com offer a single Colorado labor law poster that includes several posters and notices within it.

Our labor law posters feature double-sided lamination for long life along with sharp color-printing for easy viewing. For instance, our Colorado labor law posters measure 24 inches by 39 inches and include many notices such as Workers Compensation Part 1 and Part 2, Discrimination Notice, Payday Notice, Unemployment Insurance, and the 2013 Minimum Wage Poster.

This poster has to be posted at a convenient and prominent location at your workplace so that all your employees can view it. Additionally, we also offer the mandatory federal labor law poster that measures 20 inches by 26 inches and which can be displayed next to our Colorado labor law poster at your workplace.

Our online store also offers all related business products such as legal forms, safety DVDs/CDs, safety signs/placards, motivational awards/cards, poster clips/accessories, and OSHA compliance tools along with our wide range of posters.

One thing to consider is that your Colorado business might also need our Colorado affirmation form. This mandatory form is required to check the legal work status of all your employees as per the Colorado Revised Statute 8-2-122. You will need to ensure that all submitted documents for verification are authentic and retain copies of the required documents to ensure compliance with this statute.

The Colorado affirmation form must be completed within 20 days of hiring a new employee. Penalties for ignoring this statute can start from $5,000 for the first time and $25,000 for each repeat offence. You just cannot ignore this form and a few clicks are all that are needed to order this crucial form from our online store. This form is available in packs of 25 forms that each measure 8.5 inches by 11 inches.

Your Colorado business can function smoothly only when you remain compliant with all state and federal laws. These laws include displaying the Colorado labor law poster along with the federal labor law poster at your workplace. In addition, you also need to fill up several mandatory forms including the Colorado affirmation form to avoid business-crippling penalties and lawsuits.

So, visit our website www.laborlawcenter.com to safeguard your Colorado business with appropriate posters, notices, and forms. You can also allow us to ensure complete compliance with our trademarked Compliance Protection Plan.

Colorado employers, and those across the nation, have 60 days to comment on proposed changes to the federal FMLA law.

As of April 11, 2008, employers will face several changes in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). These changes were proposed in the new FMLA regulations on February 11, 2008, by the U. S. Department of Labor. The intervening weeks between proposal and effect allow employers to review the changes and to post their comments.

To post comments, click this link and type in “Family and Medical Leave Act”, and include the quotes around the keywords. All posts will be viewable by the public.

Changes in the FMLA include adjustments in how paid time off (PTO) is used when an employee is on FMLA leave. Employers are not required to pay for FMLA leave, but they can permit workers to utilize accrued sick time along with the FMLA leave. Effective, April 11, 2008, workers will also be able to use accrued vacation time and accrued personal leave while on FMLA leave.

Rene is an example. She has a total of ten weeks of PTO, but only two weeks of them are sick leave. Under current regulations, she could only charge those two weeks to FMLA. The other 10 weeks would be unpaid. Under the new regulations, Rene will be able to use all of her PTO, including the 3 weeks of personal leave and the 5 weeks of vacation time. In effect, Rene will substitute 10 weeks of PTO for her FMLA leave. Using PTO in this way is referred to as “substitution of paid leave”.

A minor amendment to the FMLA deals with FMLA leave and absences. The old FMLA didn’t charge FMLA to a worker’s absences, so some of these employees were eligible and earned rewards for “perfect attendance”, which often included monetary bonuses. Supervisors and coworkers felt it unfair to grant “perfect attendance” to someone who had taken 12 weeks of leave.

The new FMLA regulations will count FMLA toward an employee’s absences in the same manner any other leave would be counted. Workers who take FMLA leave, then, will not be eligible for “perfect attendance” accolades.

More Colorado FMLA Changes

The definition and certification of “serious medical condition” under the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) will see some changes on April 11, 2008, under regulations proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Currently, the regulations list several definitions of “serious medical condition” and how certification should be obtained. On February 11, 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor proposed changes to the FMLA many of which address these definitions and the certification process.

The new regulations will keep six of the definitions and clarify a couple of terms. For example, “serious medical condition” can be defined as incapacitation of the employee for 3 consecutive days and “two visits to the healthcare provider”. Unfortunately, the “two visits” are not defined within a certain time frame. According to the new regulations, the U. S. Department of Labor will define the “two visits to a healthcare provider” as occurring within 30 days of the period of incapacitation.

Companies normally require that a healthcare provider certify the “serious medical condition” before granting FMLA leave. This practice is allowed by the U.S. Department of Labor as a method to prevent abuse of the leave. Second and even third opinions can be required, too, but the employer must pay for these additional opinions.

Other topics will be addressed in the new regulations, including the “Ragsdale decision on employer penalties, Light Duty and FMLA and permission for employers to deny “Perfect Attendance Awards” to workers on FMLA leave.

Regarding the FMLA regulations and the proposed changes, Victoria Lipnic of the U. S. Department of Labor said, “It’s time to update these regulations — to reflect court decisions, clear up ambiguities and address issues that weren’t contemplated when the regulations were first issued in 1995.”

Ms. Lipnic continued to say, “This proposal is the result of a thoughtful, careful process that included a Request for Information with 15,000 public comments in 2006, many conversations with stakeholders, and the department’s experience in administering and enforcing the law.”

Employers will have from now until April 11, 2008, to review and comment on the new regulations. On that date, the regulations will be published and become law.

Colorado employers need to be aware of the hazards of cold stress in the workplace. Cold temperatures, wet conditions, and wind chill can combine to make a dangerous mixture of winter weather hazards in the workplace.

Cold stress can be treated relatively easily if it is a mild case. An important step is to move to a warm, dry area and remain active. Remove all damp clothes and drink a warm liquid. But avoid alcohol and any caffeinated beverages such as tea, cocoa, or coffee, because they will slow down the body’s warming process.

If the case is severe, however, it may lead to hypothermia. Call an ambulance right away. Medical professionals will know what to do to deal with serious cold stress.

A Colorado alert by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, otherwise known as OSHA, has been issued. It specifies the safety hazards of cold, damp weather, and lists some of the dangers as cold stress and trench foot.

To prevent cold stress, it is important to dress in layers of warm, dry clothes. The head and extremities should be covered. Headgear will assist the body in staying warm. Frequent breaks in warm places are important. Try to avoid getting wet because coming into contact with cold water will make it more difficult for the body to stay warm. In both extreme cold and extreme heat, employees should work in pairs in a “buddy system.” That way each can keep an eye on the other for signs of weather-related problems.

Trench foot received its name during World War I, when it was first described. During that war, soldiers sat in trenches for long periods of time, their feet soaking in cold water. The result was trench foot, which causes burning, blisters and itching. It is much like, but not as severe as, frostbite.

Wind child, simply described, is a combination of air temperature and wind speed. As the wind speed increases, the wind chill temperature goes down. A day that seems deceptively moderate based on thermometer temperature, can become a risky environment. The skin reacts to wind chill temperatures, not the thermometer temperature alone.

Safe work practices and appropriate clothing are the key elements in protecting employees from the dangers of outdoor work in cold temperatures.

OSHA has developed a series of common-sense recommendations covering both of these approaches to cold weather work safety.

Proper clothing is a vital element. Employers will often provide cold weather clothes to employees who work in the cold for an extended period, whether outdoors or in a freezer.

Keep in mind that the type of fabric chosen is crucial because cotton loses its ability to insulate when it is wet. Wool, however, works as an insulator even when soaked.

OSHA makes the following clothing recommendations:

• Wear loose clothes for better insulation and ventilation.
• Wear insulated footwear. In wet conditions it should be waterproof.
• Keep spare dry clothes in a warm location.
• Wear a hat. 40 degrees of body heat can be lost otherwise.

OSHA also recommends 3 layers of clothes. The outer layer should be nylon or Gortex as a windbreaker. The next layer should be down or wool to absorb sweat and provide insulation. The innermost layer may be synthetics or cotton for ventilation.

Train workers and supervisors to spot the signs of cold stress, such as irrational behavior, disorientation, and confusion. Employees should work in pairs so each can spot signs of cold stress in the other. Urge employees to drink lots of liquids (dehydration is a problem in cold weather) but avoid caffeine or alcohol, because they reduce the body’s ability to stay warm. Cigarette smoking and certain prescription drugs have the same effect.

Schedule extra breaks, in a warm building or vehicle. Workers should eat warm foods that are high in calories, like pasta. Provide radiant heaters in work areas. Temporary shelters cut drafts and wind. Cover metal handles with insulation, particularly when temperatures go below 30 degrees.

Supervisors should let workers take an extra break, or interrupt their work, if they feel exceptionally uncomfortable.

These steps are important because cold stress results in frostbite, hypothermia, and trench foot.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires all Colorado employers to display an OSHA 300 form from February 1, 2008 to April 30, 2008.

The purpose of the OSHA 300 form s to provide a recap of all work-related illnesses or accidents that occurred in 2007.  The form also lists the cause of the illnesses or accidents.  Once the forms have been completed, they must be posted in areas that are readily accessible to employees.  Some of the more popular locations include the time clock or the employee break room.

No current regulations require that the Colorado OSHA 300 form be placed in a public area.

According to OSHA sources, “Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees.  OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.”

A part of each employer’s responsibility is to display not only the OSHA 300 log, but the OSHA-It’s the Law Poster.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is responsible for regulating and maintaining safety in the workplace.  Though OSHA regulates most of this country’s private businesses and non-profits, there are a few industries that have their own worker safety organizations.

The mining industry is regulated by the Mining Safety and Health Agency, or MSHA.  This is primarily because the safety standards within this industry are very different from those in other businesses.  The Department of Transportation heavily regulates the transportation and railroad industries.

Accidents from the previous year are displayed on the OSHA 300 form.  The point in doing this is to prevent any future problems from happening.  If a company is able to keep track of the different types of accidents that occur most frequently, they will be better able to focus their efforts on preventing the same accidents from happening in the next year.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Colorado has the major goal of preventing and reducing workplace accidents.  Employers are expected to contribute their part by ensuring that employees follow all safety precautions.  It is also necessary for companies to remind workers about the importance of health and safety.

State worker safety agencies do exist in many states, as opposed to OSHA, but they still require their own version of the OSHA 300 form.  The state government of Washington requires each employer to post a Washington OSHA form so that they can keep track of all work-related injuries and illnesses.  The form has to be posted beginning February 1, and remain posted through April 30 of each year.  The form essentially recaps all work-related illnesses and injuries so that employees will be better able to gauge the safety record of their company for the preceding year.

Every state has the option of having its own OSHA organization.  Those policies, however, must be approved by the federal government before any state can start using it.

If a state wants to obtain their own OSHA plan approved by the federal government, they must first develop a plan to make sure that the state has the funds to operate its own OSHA.  The process ends in certification.  States can obtain certification by assuring the federal OSHA that they will be able to effectively run their own OSHA within three years.

More than half of the states with their own OSHA program follow a set of regulations that have been set down by the federal government.  These regulations involve job safety and health standards.  There are 22 states that have chosen to opt out of the federal OSHA program.  Every state’s OSHA plan, according to the federal government, has to be at least as effective as the federal OSHA program.

Washington, for example, has its own OSHA program.  Therefore, the Washington Occupational Safety and Health Administration conducts their own safety inspections, rather than the federal government.