labor lawAdivision of labor law center

On December 10, Michigan became the 38^th state to pass a law that bans smoking in the workplace, including restaurants and bars.

The Michigan smoking ban will go into effect on May 1, 2010. The law prohibits smoking in almost all bars, restaurants and workplaces. Exceptions to the smoking include tobacco specialty stores and cigar bars. Smoking will also be allowed in home offices and motor vehicles – even motor vehicles used for work.

Governor Jennifer Granholm called the bill “a terrific gift to Michigan.”

By implementing the smoking ban, Michigan joins with other states including New York, California and Illinois.

Under the new law, smoking will be permitted on the gambling floor of the Detroit-area casinos, but prohibited in the casino bars, restaurants and hotels. The casino exemption was a compromise between House Democrats and conservatives in the Michigan Senate.

When the bill was signed by the governor, Michigan became the 38th state to ban smoking in public places including government buildings, (more…)

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…)

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…)