It is time to update your mandated notices by adding the newly revised USERRA and Workers’ Compensation posters. (Text from the interim notice that employers were required to post in March 2005 was temporary.)
First, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) posted its final regulations for the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) in December 2005. The new regulations include a few minor changes to the text of the required notice to employees, effective January 18, 2006. ??Changes in text include the following:
• Clarification that service in the National Disaster Medical System are covered by the USERRA.
• Deletion of references to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel for state and private employers.
• Addition of U.S. Department of Justice logo to the notice for state and private employers.
Oddly, neither the USERRA nor the final regulations provide for a penalty or fine for not using the final text. But, of course, it can become a serious evidentiary matter if an employee claims his or her rights were violated and you’ve failed to inform employees of their legally mandated rights. You may download, print and post the final notice online by clicking here. Second, the still relatively new Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) announced updates to The Notice to Employees Concerning Workers’ Compensation in Texas (DWC Notice 6) and Notice Regarding Certain Work-Related Communicable Diseases And Eligibility For Workers’ Compensation Benefits. The new postings merely reflect administration of workers’ compensation by the DWC, which is a division of Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). These updated versions, along with other employer-required forms, can be downloaded from the TDI by clicking here. (Note, DWC Notice 9 is only required for district-employed law enforcement officers.)One final word. Don’t forget that postings must be comprehensible to your particular workforce. Notices are provided in Spanish on both sites.