labor lawAdivision of labor law center

A recent report suggests that Kansas employers should be particularly vigilant about safety regulations and equipment on Wednesdays. According to the latest state accident report by the Kansas Department of Labor, more workplace injuries requiring time off occur on Wednesday, than on any other day.

The report, focusing on non-fatal accidents, was issued in conjunction with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is for 2006, the last year for which final statistics are available.

“The Kansas Department of Labor has a wealth of data, but more importantly, we have programs (more…)

 A new law will primarily affect larger employers in Kansas.

The state Department of Labor recently introduced regulations that require large employers to file their quarterly unemployment tax contributions online. While online filing has been an option for several years, until recently employers could choose not to use it. Now, it is mandatory.

The Kansas Department of Labor bills the online system as simple, quick and secure, and few employers report problems with it.

“If they’re not doing so already, we want Kansas employers to (more…)

Kansas workplace fatalities numbers are just in, and it is not a pretty picture. The most recent figures show a 5%  increase in workplace fatalities, from 81 per year to 85 per year.

Even more shocking, 93% of those killed at work were male according to the Kansas Department of Labor. Of the total 85 fatalities, 79 were male. Only 7% of the workplace fatalities, or 6 individuals killed, were female.

Under Kansas law, employers must display safety posters in the workplace. Federal law requires (more…)

The July 24, 2008 federal minimum wage increase affects employers in a number of states. Under the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, the federal minimum wage increased by 70 cents from $5.85 to $6.55 per hour.

This increase affects most employers in states where the state minimum wage is lower than the new federal rate. Under federal law, when an employee is covered by both state and federal law, the employee is entitled to coverage under whichever law provides the greater benefit.

This means that if (more…)

Effective July 24, 2008 the federal minimum wage increases 70 cents from $5.85 per hour to $6.55 per hour.

This move will also increase the minimum wage in 10 states, where the state adopts the federal minimum wage automatically. Those states include: (more…)