Recent Influx of State Labor Law Changes Affects Employers
Sunrise, Florida (May 08, 2006) – Almost every week, state labor laws are changed by the legislature or agency regulations. These labor laws often require employers to inform employees of certain protections and rights by posting state-mandated posters.
Employers who don’t post the most recent labor law posters risk fines for not being in state posting compliance. But getting into and staying in compliance are not that easy, says attorney Ashley Kaplan, head of the labor law research team at Sunrise-based G.Neil Corp.
“Since January 16, 2006, there have been more than 30 poster changes in 19 states and the District of Columbia,” she noted. “A few states had as many as five of their mandatory posters revised. All this in just four months can be burdensome for employers, especially those with operations in more than one state.”
What You Need to Know About State Poster Compliance
In addition to required federal labor law postings, each state has mandatory postings to inform employees of their rights – and responsibilities. Because each state establishes its own laws – and changes them at will – no two states have the same requirements.
Kaplan explained, “Your state can require postings for fair employment, workers’ compensation, leave of absence, child labor, whistleblower protection, state minimum wage, and all sorts of things.”
“Don’t make the mistake,” she stressed to employers, “of thinking the state government doesn’t think its posters are important. The absence of a single poster on your bulletin board could cost you thousands of dollars in fines. I’d think twice before I risked it.”
Make Sure You Know the Basics for Compliance
If your business has more than one location or you have branch offices in other states, you are required to post the appropriate state labor law notices to all your employees there, Kaplan explained, or risk the same penalties. And protecting yourself can be costly and time-consuming.
“Not many companies, especially smaller ones, have the resources to devote to labor law compliance,” Kaplan noted. “You have to assign someone to keep track of action in the legislature and in the various regulatory agencies, and even with a full-time person on it, you’re still going to miss a poster change every now and then. It’s much more efficient and economical to outsource it.”
Source: gNeil
