Labor law updates 2012

Close Filters. Department of Labor today announced a funding opportunity for organizations to provide training and employing services to veterans combating homelessness. District Court for the District of Connecticut.

A South Carolina employer learned this expensive lesson after a U. Department of Labor investigation. The stable owner failed to pay workers the overtime wages they earned.

Who: Wage and Hour Division. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. What: Assistance and enforcement action in Arkansas after December tornadoes. In the week ending January 1, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was ,, an increase of 7, from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 2, from , to , The number of employees changes depending on the type of employer and the kind of discrimination alleged.

Businesses, state, and local governments must follow most EEOC laws if they have 15 or more employees. The Americans with Disabilities Act ADA — which prohibits discrimination against workers with disabilities and mandates reasonable accommodations. EEOC laws protect employees and job applicants from retaliation. If you feel that you have been wrongfully fired from a job or let go from an employment situation, you may wish to learn more about your state's wrongful discharge laws.

If you are an employer seeking information about legal termination of employees, you may wish to contact both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC and your State Labor Office to ensure you do not violate any federal or state labor laws. You may wish to consult with a licensed attorney. This unpaid leave is guaranteed by law and is available to workers at companies with 50 or more employees.

FMLA fact sheets can help you understand your rights and coverage. Employers with FMLA eligible employees have specific rights and responsibilities under the law.

Learn how different types of employers may be covered by the FMLA. The U. These laws govern:. In addition to the federal laws, each state has its own labor laws, which vary from state to state. Business owners: Check out the Small Business Administration's state labor law guides. The federal minimum wage is the lowest legal hourly pay for many workers. Tipped employees may have a different wage. Many states and cities also have minimum wage laws.

Where federal and state laws have different rates, the higher wage applies. Find your state's minimum wage laws and its minimum wage for tipped employees. An employer may require or permit a worker to work overtime. The Fair Labor Standards Act states that workers who clock more than 40 hours per week are to get overtime pay.

There are few exceptions to this rule. An employer says a worker is an independent contractor. The law says the worker is an employee. That's misclassification , which can:. If you have a problem, such as being forced to drive in unsafe conditions, fill out the online complaint form.

Please note: OSHA may refer you to a state agency.