labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The New Hampshire state minimum wage is set to increase from $5.85 to $6.50, effective September 1, 2007. The 65 cent increase is the second in the Granite State in just 6 weeks, since the rate increased to $5.85 on July 24, 2007. 

Minimum wage hikes are on the horizon in a number of states including Utah, Maine, California, Massachusetts, Delaware, Illinois, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Michigan, West Virginia, New Mexico and Kentucky.

On September 8, the Utah minimum wage will increase from $5.15 per hour to $5.85 per hour. The higher rate is, of course, the same as the new federal minimum wage, so most workers in the Beehive State will be unaffected. Still, any employer who is covered under the state minimum wage, but not the federal minimum wage, will be required to increase the amount paid to minimum-wage workers.

Utah is in a unique position in the relationship between the state and federal minimum wages. In Texas, X and several other states, the state minimum wage by statute increases at the same time as the federal minimum wage rises. In Utah, the state minimum wage is increased by an administrative action taken by the Utah Department of Labor. The administrative action normally takes several months before it goes into effect. In this case, the July 24, 2007 increase in the federal minimum wage is not mirrored in Utah until September 8, 2007. Thus, on September 8, the Utah minimum wage will increase by 70 cents from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour.

The next state minimum wage in the nation will occur in Main on October 1, 2007 when the rate will go up by 25 cents, from $6.75 to $7.00 per hour.

A number of states have already voted minimum wage increases that will take effect on January 1, 2008. These include California where the state rate will increase by 50 cents, from $7.50 per hour to $8.00 per hour. In Massachusetts, the state wage rate will also increase by 50 cents from $7.50 per hour to $8.00 per hour.  Another state rate increase already on the books for January 1, 2007 will occur in Delaware, where the rate will 50 cents from $6.65 to $7.15.

Three states have annual rate increases tied to the Consumer Price Index. All of these increases go into effect on January 1, 2007. The states are Oregon (currently at $7.80), Vermont (currently at $7.53) and Washington state (currently at $7.93.) Increases last year for these states varied from 26 cents to 36 cents per hour.

Another round of state rate increases will take place on July 24, 2008. These include the rate in the District of Columbia, which will increase from $7.00 per hour to $7.55 per hour, a 55 cent jump. In New Mexico, on the same date, the rate will climb from $5.15 to $6.50 per hour, an increase of a whopping $1.35.  

Illinois has been a leader in state minimum wage hikes, with a number of increases over the past few years. The state has already approved 3 more increases before 2010. The next increase in the Land of Lincoln is 25 cents, which will bring the state rate from $7.50 per hour to $7.75 per hour on July 1, 2008.  On that same date, the Kentucky minimum wage increase by 70 cents from $5.85 to $6.55. In Michigan, the July 1, 2007 increase will push the state rate from $7.15 to $7.40, an increase of 25 cents. And, in West Virginia the state minimum wage will increase from $6.55 per hour to $7.25 per hour on the same day.

The federal minimum wage increased by 70 cents on July 24, 2007 under the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007.  The rate went from $5.15 to $5.85 per hour. his was the first increase in more than a decade. Two more increases are on the horizon. On July 24, 2008 the federal  rate will increase by 70 cents to $6.55 per hour. Finally, on July 24, 2009, the federal rate will increase to $$.25 per hour.

Critics of the federal minimum wage increase worried that it will decrease the number of jobs available, especially for unskilled workers. Proponents pointed out that the increase is long overdue.  At just $5.15 per hour, the old federal minimum wage had lower purchasing power in 2007 than in 1968, when the rate was $1.60 per hour.  They point out that the $1.60 minimum wage was equivalent in purchasing power to a salary of $9.12 per hour in 2005. Proponents also note that in the 10 years since the last increase in the federal minimum wage, the average U.S. Congressman (or Congresswoman) has voted themselves raises totaling $31,600 per year. The current increase amounts to $1,456 per year for a full-time minimum wage worker.

An increase in the federal minimum wage was a major issue during the 2006 mid-term elections. Democrats won a majority in the House and a very slim majority in the Senate, partly because of a promise to pass an increase during their first 100 days in office. While the Democrats technically kept their promise, the original bill was vetoed by President George W. Bush because it was linked to the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act of 2007. The act will raise the federal minimum   a bill that demanded a reduction in American forces in Iraq. While the Iraq debate continued, the minimum wage increase languished.  

The bill was finally passed and signed by the president on May 25, 2007. The bill provided for a total of three 70 cent increases, bringing the minimum wage to $7.25. The first increase, from $5.15 per hour to $5.85 per hour, is effective today. The next increase will occur on July 24, 2008, when the federal minimum wage will increase from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour. The final increase under the current bill will occur on July 24, 2009 when the rate will go to $7.25 per hour.

It is very important that employers in the state have a current issue of the New Hampshire USERRA poster on prominent display on every job site.  USERRA is the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 that provides job protection for all reservists called away from civilian jobs for active military duty.  New regulations sanctioned by the US Department of Labor have just been approved that provide new protections to these workers.

Under the latest New Hampshire USERRA regulations, job protections are strengthened and pension plans are explicitly protected.  Returning reservists must be allowed to return to the same jobs they held before deployment.  Position, rate of pay, and job status must remain as they were before the reservist took military leave.

In order to enjoy job protection under the New Hampshire USERRA regulations, a worker must notify his or her employer as soon as possible once called to active duty.  Both written and verbal notifications are allowed.  There may be instances where notification is precluded by military necessity but job protection rights are sustained in this situation, too.

New regulations to the New Hampshire USERRA laws outline the length of time a returning reservist is allowed before reporting back to work at a pre-deployment civilian job.  Job protection under these regulations can be for as long as five years.

Reservists returning to civilian jobs after less than 31 days away must report to work the first full business day after release from service.  Reservists who serve 31 to 180 days are allowed as much as 14 days to apply for employment.  Ninety days are allowed if more than 180 days of active duty were served before release from duty.

 In most cases, reapplication for pre-deployment positions is merely a formality.  In some cases, a reservist can use annual leave or vacation time in lieu of military leave although this provision is at the discretion of the employer.

The revised version of the New Hampshire USERRA poster must be displayed on all job sites across the state, whether or not there are any military reservists on the payroll. 

In New Hampshire you are required to have a New Hampshire State Mandatory Poster which is to be posted so all employees can view it. This poster explains many of the major topics that are covered under the labor board. To not have this poster posted and updated with all of the current information would put you in violation with the labor board which can lead to fines and other negative occurring for your business. This poster is very important and you should not neglect it as it can be very helpful to both you and your employees as a tool to aid in better understanding of labor laws.

In New Hampshire the New Hampshire State Mandatory Poster contains a lot of helpful information that can aid in many different aspects of your business. Some of the things that are contained on your poster would be the state minimum wage requirements as well as the laws that are concerning overtime. The New Hampshire State Mandatory Poster will also contain aspects of the OSHA rules that are for designed to create a safe workplace. The laws concerning the employment of minors as well as the laws that are written in regards to discrimination in the workplace are contained here also.

The New Hampshire State Mandatory Poster is a very important tool that is always being updated. Not only do you need to keep it posted in your workplace but it needs to contain all of the current and updated employment laws. If the poster is not current you will find yourself in violation with the state labor board which will lead to fines as well as other punishments that could be handed down. These posters will provide a large amount of help to not only you but your employees as well. So keep them updated and posted to keep yourself out of trouble.

New Hampshire state law requires that employment labor posters be displayed in the workplace in a conspicuous area so that all employees can read them and be aware of them. Folks, I know we have gone over and over these laws, but it is vitally important that every business remain in compliance. By posting the labor laws, I believe that employers send a message to their employees that the laws will be followed and carried out at their place of business.

The New Hampshire ( NH ) Employment Labor Posters that are required in every workplace in New Hampshire include: Vacation Shutdown, the Right To Know Notice, Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, Protective Legislation, Discrimination Notice, Whistleblower Protection, and the Minimum Wage Law.

Besides those state laws, there are several Federal posting requirements. You may notice that there is an overlap in some of them, like the minimum wage law. That is because the government sets out the standard, but then states are allowed to step in and make their own employment labor laws if they so choose. At any rate, the federal employment labor posters include the following regulations: 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.

Keeping up with changes in the laws and updating the New Hampshire ( NH ) Employment Labor Posters is the responsibility of each and every employer. It is vitally important, if you are the employer, that you know about these labor law changes. That’s because only you will be given a citation if it is found that your labor posters are missing, torn, out of date, or simply covered up by some other poster or piece of furniture.

Greetings - I would like to offer some assistance that may help you understand the state and federal requirements for New Hampshire Posters as they apply to labor law and employee rights. To make sure the most up-to-date information on this important subject is available to all employees, it’s important for employers need to display the most current New Hampshire Posters, thus complying with law. Keep in mind that laws can and do change, so it is important that the employer have a way to pass the latest information on to workers. Not only will the employees have access to the most recent information on their rights and privileges under labor law, but the employer will be within the guidelines for state and federal posting by using New Hampshire Posters. In addition, the employer will be prepared should labor law poster information be the subject of a labor inspection.

State posting requirements for New Hampshire Posters include Vacation Shutdown, Right to Know, Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment Insurance, Protective Legislation, Discrimination Notice, Whistleblower Protection, and Minimum Wage. Several of the state requirements in this northeastern state are different from many other states, including the Vacation Shutdown and Protective Legislation requirements. The Vacation Shutdown notice refers to informing workers that they may be able to file a claim for unemployment during a vacation shutdown at their place of work. The Protective Legislation notice refers to notifying employees of wage issues such as when they will be paid, access to personnel information and so on.

Of course, this is very important information for employees and having the most up-to-date New Hampshire Posters available can be an excellent way of getting this information to employees. Placing the latest New Hampshire Posters in an area commonly used by all employees, such as the break room or lunchroom, will help ensure that the employer is complying with state and federal guidelines for location of posted labor law information.

On the federal list of requirements for New Hampshire Posters 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, and OSHA-Job Safety & Health Protection. The USERRA requirement refers to the law that allows those in military service to return to their civilian job when their military service is complete. Now might be a great time for both employer and employee to look at the New Hampshire Posters at the work site to see if all the information is current and to see if any changes need to be made.