ARTICLES:

• California’s Sexual Harassment Training
• Federal Child Labor Rules Revisions
  
• Update! California IWC Wage Orders – New Proposed Meal Period Regulations!

NEW PRODUCTS:

• Reminder! OSHA Recordkeeping: Time to Post OSHA 300-A Summary
• HRK Forms Kit (Human Resource Forms plus updated IRS Form W-4)
• 2005 Calendars & Planners
• OSHA Cold Stress Poster

REGULAR FEATURES:

• Recent Federal and State Mandatory Changes
  
• Spanish Posters
  
• Custom Posters
  
• Your Comments On Our Newsletter
  

CALIFORNIA MANDATES SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING FOR SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL

To assist you in complying with this new legal mandate, Compliance Poster Company has made arrangements to provide two training options.

1. Training for all small groups of up to 30 people will be presented in a location selected by Compliance Poster Company. Training materials will be provided as well as certificates of completion. Cost is $95 per attendee. This is ideal for a company with 10 or fewer supervisors.
2. For companies with more than 10 supervisors, in-house training at your company is probably the best option. Our deluxe package includes:
   a. A legal review of your company’s harassment policies and procedures;
   b. Customization of all training materials to reflect your company guidelines;
   c. Preparation of an introductory speech for President/CEO of the company;
   and
   d. Two hours of interactive training that meets the law’s requirements.
   Cost is $2,000.

One or both of the following trainers will provide the training sessions:
R. Craig Scott, Attorney at Law, one of the top labor and employment attorneys in California.

Stewart Lerner, Trainer/Management Consultant and co-author with R. Craig Scott, of the 2005 edition of “Sexual Harassment: Training and Investigations for California Employers.”

Remember, every supervisor employed as of July 1, 2005, must receive training before January 1, 2006. Every supervisor employed at any time on or after July 1, 2005 must receive training within six months of becoming a supervisor.

To request more information on these seminars, please call us at 1-800-817-7678 or you can email us at seminars@complianceposter.com. Please include your name, phone number, and hours available in the email so we may contact you.

FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PUBLISHES NEW CHILD LABOR REVISIONS

Safety of minors in the workplace is extremely important to all of us. The Federal Department of Labor, along with other agencies, is continuously reviewing and revising regulations as needed. On December 16, 2004 the Department of Labor, Employment and Standards Administration, Wage and Hour Division published final rules in the Federal Register, Vol. 69, # 241 Child Labor regulations affecting 29 CFR 570, 579, and 580.

These revisions, effective February 14, 2005, implement two amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act’s child labor standards and revises procedural regulations dealing with administrative hearings and appeals of civil penalties. The revisions affect the Compactors and Balers Safety Standards Modernization Act (The Compactor and Baler Act) and the Drive for Teen Employment Act.

The Compactor and Baler Act sets conditions, which permit 16-and 17-year-old workers to load, but not operate or unload, certain scrap-paper balers and paper box compactors. It also specifies that civil money penalties may be assessed for violations of these conditions (up to $11,000), and revises the regulations to implement the provisions of this Act.

The Drive for Teen Employment Act prohibits minors under the age of 17 from driving automobiles and trucks on public roadways on the job, and establishes the conditions and criteria under which 17-year-olds may drive automobiles and trucks on public roadways on the job.

Also included in this “final rule” are revisions to regulations concerning government issued Certificates of Age, types of cooking and cooking-related duties that 14- and 15-year-olds may perform and certain hazardous employment for 16-and 17-year-olds regarding roofing operations.

The Department of Labor has set up an informative section on their website directed at Youth employment issues. The Department’s Youth rules! Section has revised their existing compliance assistance materials to comply with these new rules. Check out the great information available to employers, parents and teens at the YouthRules federal website. For your convenience we have links to download two employer self-assessment tools, Restaurant Employers and Grocery Employers. These tools can assist you in being sure you are in compliance with Federal youth employment provisions.

UPDATE! CALIFORNIA INDUSTRIAL WAGE ORDER

Proposed changes to Meal Period Regulations. California’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) submitted the proposal for permanent regulations to redefine “Meal Periods” and clarify the payments due to workers when meal periods are not provided. At this time, the DLSE believes that this will not affect the IWC Wage Orders. Compliance Poster Company is, however, watching the progress of these regulation changes for any changes, if any, occur.

FEATURED PRODUCTS

OSHA RECORDKEEPING
Reminder! Post 2004 OSHA Summary 300-A from February 1, 2005 through April 30th, 2005. Are you prepared to record your employee’s injury and illnesses for 2005?
OSHA issues NEW FINAL RULE requiring Federal Agencies to use OSHA recordkeeping forms beginning in 2005! Along with the private sector employers, Federal agencies will now be required to record injuries and illnesses on the OSHA 300, 300-A, and 301 forms. The OSHA Form 300-A Summary form must be posted from February 1, 2005 through April 30, 2005. Our easy-to-use interactive OSHA Forms Kit on CD will get you started. It includes the three required OSHA recordkeeping forms with the 12 other important OSHA forms listed:

HUMAN RESOURCES FORMS KIT
Interactive PDF HR Forms on CD with updated 2005 W-4 forms. A real time-saver! The following HR forms are included

2005 CALENDARS AND PLANNERS
Ready for 2005! With our new 2005 CALENDARS and PLANNERS you can get a jump-start on the new year. Order now and we will include a free Computer Calendar strip with adhesive backing for your computer. This space-saving, economic 12-month calendar will help you track Project Deadlines, Employee Vacations, Meetings, Conventions, & other important events. The high-quality laminated write on/wipe off surface makes it easy to make changes as they occur. The calendars include all standard holidays to make planning easier.

Try our 90-Day and 120-Day Planners to make your life easier. Get a planner for each Department for project planning and tracking. The high-quality laminated easy write on/wipe off surface allows for constant updating for special projects.

COLD STRESS POSTER
ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES EXPOSED TO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS ON A DAILY BASIS? It is every employer’s responsibility to maintain safe working conditions for their employees, even under extreme weather.

Winter is here and workers are exposed to extreme cold temperatures that can be injurious and even fatal. Our poster is just what you need to remind you and your employees to take the necessary “safety” precautions to prevent injuries. Workers in construction, commercial fishing, maritime and agriculture are among those most often exposed to severe weather conditions and need to take safety precautions.

Our COLD STRESS poster provides a quick reference guide and recommendations. A great training tool! Available in English and Spanish, this laminated poster is full of tips to protect your workers, recognize the signs and symptoms for “frostbite” and hypothermia.

RECENT FEDERAL AND STATE CHANGES:

• Federal Family and Medical Leave
  
• Federal Employee Polygraph Protection Act
  
• Federal Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law
  
• California effective 7/2004
  
• Delaware effective 12/2004
  
• District of Columbia 1/2005
  
• Iowa effective 8/2004
  
• Louisiana effective 8/2004
  
• Maine effective 9/2004
  
• Massachusetts 12/2004
  
• Michigan effective 7/2004
  
• New Jersey effective 11/2004
  
• New York effective 1/2005
  
• Oregon effective 1/2005
  
• Washington effective 1/2005
  
• West Virginia effective 7/2004
  

SPANISH POSTERS – Does Your State Require Spanish Posters?
We have a total of 17 states in Spanish.

Many states require employers with Spanish-speaking employees to post the State and Federal labor laws in Spanish. Others highly recommend posting in Spanish to ensure that your employees understand their rights and the labor laws. Spanish All-On-One™ Posters are now available for the following states:

CUSTOM POSTERS
Many larger companies, associations, and PEO’s are taking advantage of CPC’s exclusive “Custom Poster Program.” This program allows organizations to incorporate their logo, company colors, Mission Statement and even some custom verbiage into the design of the poster. Posters can be specially designed to specific size requirements, horizontal or vertical orientation, and with heavy lamination, etc.