If passed, the ballot issue would raise Missouri’s minimum wage rate to $8.25 an hour, starting in 2013.  Then, there would be an annual cost-of-living adjustment that would kick in at the beginning of following years.  And, like all other states, if the federal minimum wage rate ever rose beyond what Missouri was offering, the higher federal rate would apply, and the state would apply the cost-of-living adjustments to that rate instead.

In order to be listed on the ballot, supporters need to get enough signatures from 6 out of the state’s 9 congressional districts to equal 5% of the number of votes cast in the 2008 Governor’s election.  Depending on which districts you look at, supporters would need anywhere from 91,818 to 99,600 signatures.  Missouri Jobs with Justice — one of the organizations leading the charge for the change — says it has already submitted 175,000 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office.

This is the second time in recent years that Missouri Jobs with Justice has fought for higher minimum wage rates.  They were behind the 2006 measure that boosted Missouri’s minimum wage rate to $6.50.  That plan also included similar cost-of-living adjustments to the ones being proposed now.

One issue that likely won’t be on the ballot in November?  The issue of caps on interest rates and fees on payday loans.  Supporters want to limit interest rates and fees on payday loans to 36% of the amount of the loan.  If passed, it would certainly help minimum wage workers, many of whom rely on payday loans and other types of loans to make ends meet.

Even though supporters collected 180,000 signatures in favor of putting the issue on the November ballot, a state court struck down the issue’s ballot title.  According to Missouri law, any signatures that are on a page without an official ballot title don’t count.

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On the plus side for workers, the proposed law is one in a string of recent minimum wage changes.  In fact, Illinois’ minimum wage rate has been rising steadily since 2006.  The latest boost came in 2010, when lawmakers decided to set the rate at $8.25 per hour — a full dollar more than the current federal rate.  If this newest proposal is passed, Illinois would have a minimum wage rate of more than $10 per hour — making it the highest in the country.

For full-time minimum wage workers, this increase would raise their salaries by more than 17%.  Right now, someone who works 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year makes about $17,000 per year.  Under this proposed rate increase, that same employee would make more than $20,000 per year.

So, what are the cons?

As happy as some workers might be about the potential change, there are plenty of others who aren’t so happy.  That’s because higher minimum wage rates mean having to pay higher unemployment insurance rates and more Social Security taxes.

Secondly — and more importantly — small business owners say the increase would increase their labor costs, and they may not be able to afford it.  According to some lawmakers, the change may mean that companies can’t afford to open up in Illinois, and they fear it could put the state at a strong disadvantage when it comes to bringing in new businesses and more jobs.

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But instead of just dumping changes on you, USCIS wants to hear from you.  That’s why they’re inviting the public to comment on the proposed revisions until May 29, 2012.

What kind of changes have they made?

On the new I-9 form, you’ll find a completely different layout.  First, you’ll notice that there is an expanded set of instructions.  Then, you’ll see additional boxes that ask for the employee’s email address and phone number.  These boxes, however, are optional.

But there are other new boxes on the form that aren’t optional — like the data fields that ask for the employee’s foreign passport number and the country it was issued in.  If one of your new employees is an alien that listed his I-94 admission number on the I-9 form, he’ll be required to fill out these boxes.

For the next few weeks, you’ll be able to share your thoughts on the new changes by logging onto www.regulations.gov.  There, you’ll find the exact revisions that are being proposed, along with instructions on how to comment on them.

Until the new changes are officially approved, you’ll need to use the current version of the I-9 form.  You can find it online, on the USCIS I-9 resource center, “I-9 Central”.  In addition to the form, I-9 Central also includes handy information about the rights and responsibilities of both employers and employees, instructions on how to complete the form, and a list of documents that employees can use to verify their identity.

And, once the new I-9 form takes effect, you’ll get to read all about it on I-9 Central.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit www.uscis.gov.

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The Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) just kicked off a summer campaign designed to educate companies and their employees about the dangers of working outside during the hot summer months.  Officials believe this campaign will save lives.

“For outdoor workers, ‘water, rest and shade’ are three words that can make the difference between life and death,” Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said. “If employers take reasonable precautions, and look out for their workers, we can beat the heat.”

This is the second year that the Department of Labor has raised awareness about working out in the heat, and for them, there is no higher priority.  That’s because thousands of workers suffer from serious heat-related illnesses every year.  On average, more than 30 workers die from heat stroke each year.

Part of the campaign is designed to teach employers and employees about the signs of dangerous heat-related illnesses.

“It is essential for workers and employers to take proactive steps to stay safe in extreme heat, and become aware of symptoms of heat exhaustion before they get worse,” said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.

If you’re exposed to too much heat, your body temperature can get dangerously high.  When that happens, normal sweating isn’t enough to cool you off.  From there, you might notice a rash or some cramps — a sign of heat exhaustion.  Unfortunately, heat exhaustion can quickly turn into life-threatening heat stroke if a few simple prevention steps aren’t taken.

Making the problem worse?  Lots of industries have to deal with outdoor working conditions — making the threat widespread.

“Agriculture workers; building, road and other construction workers; utility workers; baggage handlers; roofers; landscapers; and others who work outside are all at risk,” said Michaels.  “Drinking plenty of water and taking frequent breaks in cool, shaded areas are incredibly important in the hot summer months.”

In order to make sure everyone gets the message, OSHA has created a number of heat illness educational materials, in both English and Spanish.  They’ve also come up with documents that can be used in workplace training sessions.  There’s also a special website that can teach you how to spot a heat-related illness, how to prevent it, and what to do during an emergency.

You can even learn more on the go!  OSHA just released an app for mobile devices that’s designed to monitor the heat index at your work site.  Once the heat index reaches a dangerous level, the app will let you know.

Even if you don’t have a smartphone, it’s still easy to find out what you should do when the temperatures in your area are dangerously high.  That’s because OSHA has partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to incorporate worker safety precautions in their heat alerts.

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Unfortunately, a teenager in Oregon was injured when he was using a power-driven band saw.  And, sadly, the entire situation never should have happened — since having the teen use the machine was a violation of state law.

Now, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) Commissioner is reminding employers all over the state to keep a close eye on child labor laws.  BOLI’s Commissioner says that this recent injury is a “perfect example of why employers should consult with BOLI before bringing minors in to work.”

How exactly can BOLI help you?

They have special technical assistance that can answer all of your questions.  BOLI is also in the process of creating a handbook on child labor, so that every employer understands the laws that are on the books.

Had the company in question talked to BOLI before this teenager started working, they would have been told that he couldn’t use a band saw.  Instead, the teen got hurt, and the company has to pay a $1,000 fine.

If you plan on having minors work for you, it’s important to keep up to date on state and federal laws.  When there’s a difference between federal standards and an individual state’s laws, the rule that provides the most protection for the young worker is the one that applies.

Want to learn more about federal occupational standards for minors?  Just click here!

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And as for that federal minimum wage rate, it has come a long way since it was first created in 1938.  Back then, minimum wage workers earned a whopping $0.25 per hour!  Today, minimum wage sits at $7.25 per hour.  OK, that’s 29 times higher than it was, but some say that it still isn’t enough to make ends meet if you’ve got a family to support.

How do states compare to the federal rate?

-          18 states and Washington D.C. pay minimum wage workers more than the federal rate.

-          27 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands all have minimum wage rates that are lower than the federal rate, so the federal rate applies.

-          5 states don’t have any kind of state minimum wage rate at all.

No matter where you live, the minimum wage rate was (and still is) designed to do one very important thing — make sure that workers are never exploited.  Without it, employers would have way too much power.

If you’re one of the millions of minimum wage workers out there, the Compliance Poster Company Research Team has you covered!  We’re constantly on the lookout for any changes in minimum wage legislation, on both the state and federal levels.  As soon as any changes hit the law books, we’ll let you know… Count on us to keep you “posted”!

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The new law applies to applicants’ and employees’ user names, passwords or any other means used to access personal accounts though any electronic communications device. These devices include computers, telephones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) and similar electronic devices.

Under the new law:

• Employers may not request or require user names or passwords from employees or applicants
• Employers may not discipline an employee for refusing to provide a user name or password
• Employers may not refuse to hire an applicant for refusing to disclose a user name or password
• Employers may require user names and passwords used to access an employer’s internal computers and accounts, and
• Employers may investigate unauthorized downloading to a personal web site or account by an employee.

At least seven other states have introduced legislation to restrict employer access to social media user names and passwords. Submit a comment below and tell us what you think!

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State and federal statutes, laws, and regulations require that notices be provided to employees and/or posted in the workplace. These laws address important employee and employer rights and responsibilities. They cover such areas as workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, minimum wage rates, child labor, illegal discrimination and equal employment opportunity, job safety and health, etc, and cover all industries. Employers are required by these same laws to share employment information with their employees and provide other work-related information. Notices should be posted in prominent places where employees have access to them. Employee-friendly places include break rooms or near time-clock areas.

Employers can feel overwhelmed in keeping up with all of the posters to hang on the wall and pamphlet notices to supply directly to workers. Enter…Compliance Poster Company (CPC). We specialize in making labor law compliance easy and affordable. We take all of the individual posting notices and put them in an All-On-One format with heavy lamination for a product that withstands the wear and abuse that can occur in the workplace. Our Legal Research Department continuously tracks labor law legislation from introduction to enactment so you never have to guess when there is a mandatory law change. Our Compliance Advisors immediately notify your company of mandatory changes. No pressure is involved. Compliance Poster Company does not send out threatening or misleading mailers or communication of any kind. We here at CPC take our exemplary industry reputation very seriously. We have over 1200 labor and safety-related products covering all industries. You can’t mistake our posters with any others. Our clean lines and handsome branding standard sets us apart from the rest of the competition.

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Give us a try. Call 1-800-817-7678 and speak with a knowledgeable Compliance Advisor. We offer complete compliance options and take all of the guess work out of labor law compliance. It’s Our Business to Know. Post Confidently.

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By law employers must also have the official CA Workers’ Compensation labor law poster displayed in the workplace for employees to view.

Mandatory State & Federal Notices

The mandatory-to-post notice and the new online site are just some of the ways important information is communicated to employees and employers as well. But the fun doesn’t end here. There are handy fact sheets available in printed form at the DWC’s 24 district offices.

In California workers’ compensation insurance provides 5 basic benefits:

• Medical care
• Temporary disability benefits
• Permanent disability benefits
• Supplemental job displacement benefits (exceptions apply)
• Death benefits

Did you know? You can attend a free seminar on workers’ compensation or just call 1-800-736-7401 for questions. For all of your employment and labor law-related needs call Compliance Poster Company and speak with one of our knowledgeable and friendly Compliance Advisors. We specialize in complete compliance solutions tailored to each industry. Whether your a private company or have federal contracts. From retail and restaurants to medical, agricultural and construction, and everything in between. We’ve got you covered!

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Most employers are aware that “Title VII” (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) prohibits discrimination in employment based race, color, national origin, religion, or sex. That law does not prohibit an employer from requiring applicants or employees to provide information about arrests, convictions or incarceration.

Nevertheless, criminal records can become a matter of employment discrimination if an employer treats applicants with the same criminal records differently because of their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Even if applied uniformly, criminal record exclusions may still disproportionately and unjustifiably exclude people of a particular race or national origin.

The Enforcement Guidance is designed to address such scenarios. Covered topics include:

• How an employer’s use of an individual’s criminal history in making employment decisions could violate federal employment discrimination law;
• Federal court decisions concerning criminal record exclusions under Title VII;
• The differences between the treatment of arrest records and conviction records;
• Examination of “disparate treatment” and “disparate impact” under Title VII;
• Compliance with other federal laws and regulations that restrict or prohibit the employment of individuals with certain criminal records; and
• Best practices for employers.

The EEOC has also created an Enforcement Guidance Q & A document. Employers should be aware that there are other federal and state laws that limit or prohibit employers from obtaining or asking applicants for criminal record information unless that information is required by a state or federal law or regulation.

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