labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Like many other states across America, such as Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Maryland, Idaho and Indiana, Utah increases the state minimum wage when the federal minimum wage increases. Therefore, on July 24, 2009, when the federal minimum increased by 70 cents from $6.55 to $7.25 per hour, the Utah minimum wage increased to match the federal rate.

Unlike these other states whose laws simply mandate that they adopt the federal minimum as their own, Utah’s only requires the state Labor Commission to review the rate when the federal minimum changes.

For Utah to adopt the federal minimum wage as its state minimum, an administrative action msut take place requesting the change. This action is undertaken by the Utah Labor Commission.

In 2007, the federal Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 set out to increase the federal minimum wage with three annual increases. Each increase was to be 70 cents beginning in 2007 and ending in 2009. The federal minimum began at $5.15 per hour, increasing to $5.85 in 2007, then to $6.55 in 2008 and finally to $7.25 per hour in 2009.

When the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 was signed into law, (more…)

On July 24, 2008, the federal minimum wage increased by 70 cents from $5.85 per hour to $6.55 per hour. Like the minimum wage in several other states, the Utah minimum wage also increased to $6.55 per hour.

Unlike the other states, such as Oklahoma, Maryland and South Dakota, Utah doesn’t automatically add the increase to its state minimum wage. The Utah Labor Commission must (more…)

Three Minnesota community colleges will receive more than $5 million to train workers in the fastest-growing industries, thanks to recent US Department of Labor grants. The schools beat out more than 200 other applicants to win the highly competitive grants from the ETA, the federal Employee Training Administration.

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The Utah minimum wage will increase by 70 cents from $5.85 per hour to $6.55 per hour on July 24, 2008. On that same day, the minimum wage in a dozen other states will increase, with the federal minimum wage.

Utah’s minimum wage increase (more…)

Surprisingly, Advanced Manufacturing is one of the fastest-growing industries in Utah and the US. Highly skilled workers in the field command good salaries, and have excellent career growth to supervisory and management positions.

Manufacturing jobs were once considered boring and repetitive. Today, employees are likely to be using delicate equipment to produce highly specialized products.

Manufacturing is growing as fast as other “hot” industries, including biotechnology, healthcare and energy.

In fact, employers have trouble finding enough qualified workers for the manufacturing positions available. That’s why the US Department of Labor recently awarded two grants totaling almost $4 million in Utah. Two community colleges, in partnership with local employers, will train workers with the necessary skills.

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