New Posting: Mississippi Workers’ Compensation

Mississippi Notice Concerning Changes to the Workers’ Compensation Law

The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission has issued the new “Notice Concerning Changes to the Workers’ Compensation Law” posting requirement pursuant to Senate Bill 2576 which details the changes to the state’s Workers’ Compensation Law. The new law is effective July 1, 2012. This is a mandatory change. 

Statutory language regarding this posting: Governor Phil Bryant recently signed into law four components of his Mississippi Works agenda, including Senate Bill 2576, a bill that revises the state’s  workers’ compensation system.  Among other things, S.B. 2576 provides that the state’s workers’ compensation system does not favor an employer over an employee or vice versa.  It also establishes guidelines for drug and alcohol testing in the case of a workplace injury and clarifies attorney payments.  The bill requires the Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission to draft a written statement that details the changes made to the workers’ compensation system. Within ten days of the Commission issuing the statement, all employers must post the Commission’s statement in the workplace adjacent to other notices for which posting is required by law.

Effective Date:  July 2012

The new poster will be available July 26, 2012.

This is a mandatory change affecting all businesses in Mississippi. All employers must update their posters.

District of Columbia Fair Employment Poster Change

District of Columbia State poster revised to update Fair Employment.

The District of Columbia Fair Employment (Private Sector) poster has been updated to reflect a clarification to the definition of sexual harassment and the addition of some protected categories applicable to housing and public accommodations. 

Statutory language regarding this posting: Sexual harassment has been clarified as a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by the District of Columbia Human Rights Act of 1977. In addition, harassment based on any of the protected categories are prohibited by the Act. The protected categories of Familial Status, Source of Income, Status as Victim of Intrafamily Offense, and Place or residence or Business added are protected categories in housing and/or public accommodations.

Effective Date: July 2012

The new poster will be available July 12, 2012.

This is a mandatory change affecting all businesses in District of Columbia. All employers must update their poster.

Hawaii Unemployment Insurance Poster Change

Hawaii State poster revised to update Unemployment Insurance.

The Hawaii Unemployment Insurance poster has been updated to reflect that employees can now file for unemployment by phone and online. This is a mandatory change. 

Statutory language regarding this posting: N/A. Agency change – see posting for details.

Effective Date: July 2012

The new poster will be available July 3, 2012.

This is a mandatory change affecting all businesses in Hawaii. All employers must update their posters.

Indiana No Smoking Poster Change

Indiana State poster revised to update No Smoking.

Indiana recently passed a law that prohibits smoking in most public places and places of employment. Employers are required to post no smoking signs at entrances. Signs must read “State Law Prohibits Smoking Within 8 Feet of this Entrance.” Employers must also post signs inside their facilities that read “Smoking is Prohibited by State Law.” Smoking is permitted in certain workplaces, for example bars and taverns. Employers must post “Smoking is Allowed in this Establishment” signs if the new law permits smoking. 

Statutory language regarding this posting: Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels signed H.B. 1149 adopting a statewide ban on smoking. Effective July 1, 2012, smoking will be prohibited in public places and places of employment, and within eight feet of a public entrance to either a public place or a place of employment. Employers will be required to inform each employee and prospective employees of the smoking prohibition to the place of employment.

Effective Date: July 2012

The new poster will be available June 6, 2012.

This is a mandatory change affecting all businesses in Indiana. All employers must update their posters.

Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Poster Change

Tennessee State poster revised to update Workers’ Compensation.

The Tennessee Workers’ Compensation poster has been updated to reflect that all construction employers must carry workers’ compensation unless they are specifically exempted. This is a mandatory change. 

Statutory language regarding this posting: Tennessee construction services providers must carry workers’ compensation insurance. Construction services provider means any person or entity engaged in the construction industry unless specifically exempt under the statute.

Effective Date: May 2012

The new poster will be available May 17, 2012.

This is a mandatory change affecting all businesses in Tennessee. All employers must update their posters.

Hawaii OSHA Poster Change

Hawaii State poster revised to update OSHA.

The Hawaii OSHA poster has been updated to reflect that Hawaii’s Occupational Safety and Health state program excludes coverage of employees working on military installations.

Statutory language regarding this posting: OSHA has given approval of a change to the state of Hawaii’s Occupational Safety and Health state plan to exclude coverage of employees at all military installations. The state of Hawaii, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations requested, by letter from the Governor, that jurisdiction be relinquished to federal OSHA for conducting safety and health inspections of private sector employers within the borders of all military installations in Hawaii. OSHA amended its regulations to reflect this change in the level of federal enforcement.

Effective Date: April 2012

The new poster will be available May 10, 2012.

This is a mandatory change affecting all businesses in Hawaii. All employers must update their posters.

Connecticut Fair Employment Poster Change

Connecticut State poster revised to update Fair Employment.

The Connecticut Fair Employment poster has been updated to clarify that discrimination is illegal in employment, housing and public accommodations, and credit transactions on the basis of gender identity or expression.

Statutory language regarding this posting:  “Gender identity or expression” means a person’s genderrelated identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that genderrelated identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth, which gender-related identity can be shown by providing evidence including, but not limited to, medical history, care or treatment of the gender-related identity, consistent and uniform assertion of the gender-related identity or any other evidence that the gender-related identity is sincerely held, part of a person’s core identity or not being asserted for an improper purpose.

 Effective Date: April 2012

The new poster will be available May 4, 2012.

This is a mandatory change affecting all businesses in Connecticut. All employers must update their posters.