2008 Georgia Labor Law Posters

December 24th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

Every Georgia employer should update their labor law posters before January 1, 2008.

The 2008 Georgia labor law posters contain some important changes. During the year, the federal minimum wage increased by 70 cents from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour. An additional increase is due on July 24, 2008, which means that Georgia employers will need to update their posters yet again.

In 2008, by state law, every Georgia employer is required to display the following posters:

  • No Smoking Notice
  • Workers’ Compensation
  • Unemployment Insurance
  • Equal Pay for Equal Work Act
  • Vacation Notice
  • Workers’ Comp. Bill of Rights

Popular locations for posters include break rooms, beside the employee time clock or in other employees-only areas.

In addition, Georgia employers are required to display a number of federal labor law posters including:

  • 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

Minimum wage changes are the big news in labor law across the nation as 2007 draws to a close. There is wide variation in state minimum wages, from $2.65 per hour in Kansas to  more than $8.00 per hour.  For the past two years, the Oregon minimum wage has been the second highest in the nation. In 2008, it will go to the fourth highest, when California and Massachusetts increase their state rates from $7.50 per hour to $8.00 per hour. This is just one of the changes that will be reflected in the new labor law posters for the year.

Oregon labor law posters serve as a handy reference on a wide range of topics, from unemployment benefits to child labor laws.

Labor law posters provide important information for employees and supervisors alike. For example, from state to state, the laws controlling minimum wage for tipped workers and overtime pay show a wide variation. Complete updates are available on each state’s labor law posters.

States either have no overtime law, in which case they follow the federal law, or they pass laws building on or mirroring the federal law.

Federal law offers a premium of 1.5 times the normal hourly rate for any time over 40 hours. States without their own laws include Delaware, Arizona, Idaho, Georgia, and Florida. Workers not normally covered by federal overtime law are not entitled to overtime in these states.

Nebraska mirrors the federal law but extends coverage to all businesses with 4 or more employees. Illinois, Massachusetts, and Michigan also mirror federal law – 1.5 times normal after 40 hours. But Kansas’ overtime does not kick in until 46 hours, and Minnesota’s not until 48.

Kentucky provides overtime after 40 hours or on the 7th consecutive workday regardless of number of hours. In Colorado, it kicks in after 12 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. Only restaurant and hotel workers may collect overtime on the 7th consecutive day of work in Connecticut.

California has the most generous plan. Employees get overtime after working 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. Anyone working 7 consecutive days gets overtime on the 7th day. Double-time is paid after an employee works 12 hours in a day, or after 8 hours on the 7th consecutive work day.

When it comes to minimum wage rates for tipped workers, some states don’t have their own laws, so they are automatically covered by the federal law. Some are slightly more generous, while others equal or are nearly equal to the states’ own minimum wages. Kansas, on the other hand, at $1.59 an hour, is the lowest.

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Georgia FMLA Poster

June 4th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

What better time to think about the Georgia FMLA law than the days between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day? The Georgia Family and Medical Leave Act, also known as FMLA, is in place to help employees when a major life event happens. Sometimes employees become ill or get hurt, but the FMLA also helps when a joyous occasion such as a birth or adoption occurs.

All workplaces should display a Georgia FMLA poster so employees understand how this law works. The poster explains the program basics. It also contains information about benefits and eligibility requirements. If a private employer has 50 or more workers, then the company must comply with the Georgia Family and Medical Leave Act. In the case of school teachers and public employees, the number of employees doesn’t matter. They are always covered.

What the Georgia FMLA does is it allows workers to take off up to 12 weeks from work each year. The jobs of workers who are on leave are protected under the FMLA, but the leave time is unpaid. Situations that can qualify are the adoption or birth of a child, a severe illness experienced by either the employee or a close family member, and military duty.

The jobs of employees are not automatically protected, so precautions should be taken. For instances, employers should provide employees with notification in writing of their status. Moreover, employers should let employees know how and when they should contact the company. Employees need to maintain contact with their employer while on leave. They also should follow any deadlines and written instructions given to them by their employer.

When it comes to medical benefits that are deducted from the employee’s paycheck, the employer can continue those benefits while the employee is on leave. When the employee returns, the deductions then can be repaid to the employer.

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Georgia Labor Law Posters

October 2nd, 2006 Posted by Mark

The topic is again state based labor law posters, and after a nice relaxing weekend, what could be better than hopping right into the difficult stuff? Not that studying, say, Georgia Labor Law Posters, is all that difficult. It’s basically all about keeping abreast of important developments, and knowing the basics about the Georgia Labor Law Posters.

Those basics are that the Georgia Labor Law Posters contain six federally mandated labor law and compliance posters. These include the USERRA posting for employees who have to serve in the armed forces; the Family and Medical Leave Act for employees want personal time off; the federal minimum wage act; the Equal Employment Opportunity posting against work site discrimination; the OSHA posting for workplace safety and employee health; and the Employee Polygraph Protection posting.

The Georgia Labor Law Posters also contain six state required postings, which are different than the federally mandated postings. These six state postings in the Georgia Labor Law Posters include the workers’ comp posting, the vacation notice, the equal pay for equal work act posting, the unemployment insurance posting, the workers’ comp bill of rights, and the no smoking notice.

In particular, let’s look at the equal pay for equal work act posting in the Georgia Labor Law Posters. This posting talks about how the General Assembly in the state make it illegal for employers to discriminate in the work site based on sex, when it comes to paying one employee a different rate than another entirely based on sex, especially if the two employees are doing the same position that requires the same amount of knowledge and skill.

However, the equal pay posting in the Georgia Labor Law Posters goes into certain circumstances where different pay is OK, such as if there is a seniority or merit system in place.

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Georgia Labor Law Poster

October 2nd, 2006 Posted by Mark

Let’s continue our review of the Georgia labor law poster, now that we’re on a little roll here. As we explained in the previous blog post, there are six federally mandated postings in the Georgia labor law poster, and there are six state mandated postings in the Georgia labor law poster. And we briefly covered the state posting for equal pay for equal work, which prohibits discrimination based on sex when it comes to salaries.

But now that we have the space and time, let’s also look at the vacation posting in the Georgia labor law poster. This is one of the state postings in the Georgia labor law poster, and it is also one of the more unique of the postings in the Georgia labor law poster.

This posting is all about unemployment insurance, and how it is not payable in certain circumstances. These include such vacation circumstances as if an employee is on a leave of absence at their own request. It can also include if an employee is on a paid vacation or an unpaid vacation.

In this latter circumstance, according to the vacation posting in the Georgia labor law poster, the employee can be on a unpaid vacation for up to two weeks in a calendar year, if the time off is afforded by the employment contract, by a employer policy or practice that is based in custom or usual habits or agreement between the employee and the employer.

Now, the unemployment insurance posting in the Georgia labor law poster is a bit different. It goes into how employees can get unemployment insurance, which they are entitled to if they follow certain rules when applying for the unemployment insurance money. This includes that they must register with the Georgia department of Labor to receive the money, and the must report all of their earnings and any job refusals.

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Georgia Labor Poster

September 14th, 2006 Posted by Emily

There is a Georgia Labor poster for a variety of federal and state employment-related laws, including those administered by the U. S. Department of Labor (USDOL). Let’s take a look at each of these laws. Each law has a Georgia Labor poster, but not all posters are mandated by law to be posted.

Affirmative Action: Laws and regulations to ensure equal opportunity in employment for all individuals.

Child Labor: Federal and state laws regulating employment restrictions for minors.

COBRA (Health Coverage): The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) establishes group health plans for workers who lose health benefits.

Disability: Laws that prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Employment Service: The Wagner-Peyser Act created a nationwide system that provides job seeker and employer labor exchange services.

Equal Employment: Federal laws prohibiting job discrimination.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): The Act that establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, record keeping, and child labor standards.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): The Act that grants eligible employees unpaid leave for specific family situations.

Immigration and Nationality Act (INA): The Act that sets forth the conditions for the temporary employment of foreign workers (aliens) in the United States.

Laws and Regulations Enforced by USDOL: These include Workplace Safety and Health, Wages and Work Hours, Equal Employment Opportunity, Agricultural Workers, Foreign Workers, Veterans’ Protections, Government Contracts, Retirement and Health Benefits, Whistleblower Protections.

Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA): The Act that protects migrant and seasonal agricultural workers.

New Hire Reporting: Federal and state laws require employers to report newly hired and rehired employees.

Unemployment Insurance (UI): This federal-state program provides temporary benefit payments to workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own and meet other eligibility requirements.

Whistleblower Protection : Protection from discrimination for workers who exercise safety and health rights enforced by USDOL Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN): The Act that requires certain employers to provide 60 days advance notice of company closings and mass layoffs.

Workforce Investment Act (WIA: The Act that reforms federal job training programs and creates a new, comprehensive workforce investment system with local One-Stop Career Centers.

Workplace Safety and Health: USDOL Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) works to prevent injuries and protect the health of workers.

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