Companies doing business in Mississippi must ensure that their human resource policies do not violate Mississippi employment laws in order to avoid the stiff penalties that come from non-compliance. Workers in the state have legal recourse against their employers who ask the wrong questions during new hire interviews, show preference in assigning work and do not provide a safe, harassment-free work environment.

Require both managers and support staff in your human resource department to learn the statutes, which government agencies serve to enforce the laws and how federal and state courts are applying those regulations. Reliable sources for your company's Mississippi labor and employment law education and training program include:

1. Go straight to the statutes for unedited sources of MS employment law.

2. Consult the online published writings of legal professionals who analyze Mississippi labor laws and summarize recent cases.

3. Access blog commentaries on MS employer laws written by noted professionals in the field.

Action Steps
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Find educational information about MS employment laws

Guarantee that your staff's educational program helps them shows them how to determine the state minimum wage, overtime compensation policy and the processes involved in defending against a workers' compensation claim. They should also be able to contact the staff at these agencies that can provide individual assistance.

I recommend: Mississippi.gov is the official source for businesses who need guidance on employee benefits and employment law. Justia.com allows you to locate the constitutional references on which MS employment laws are based. Access case law on Wolters Kluwer that provides you with the legal precedents for Mississippi employment regulations. Learn more about workers' compensation laws in Mississippi by accessing the Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission website.

Learn how courts interpret MS labor laws by reading case law summaries

Ensure that the fundamentals your staff learns in any educational program on MS labor laws helps them find out what kinds of questions they are not allowed to ask on interviews and under what circumstances employees may lawfully be terminated.

I recommend: Fox Law Group answers the most frequently asked questions and provides practical advice on how to interview new hires and what kind of preferential treatment by employers is considered grounds for legal action according to MS employment law. Phelps Dunbar provides excellent insight into Mississippi's Employment Protection Act. Louis H. Watson takes current events and explains how MS labor laws can be applied to them.

Educate yourself using discussions by Mississippi labor attorneys

Provide an educational experience on Mississippi employee laws that helps your staff learn what the real issues are from the professionals who handle these claims every day.

I recommend: The law blog discussions on Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, updated daily, relate to a wide range of topics, such as new legislation and debates between government agencies over the application of state employment law. Get answers to your questions about child labor laws fast when you access Labor Law Center Blog. The Mississippi Employment Law Letter from HR Hero.com is for the human resource professional looking for answers on federal and state statutes that affect Mississippi employees.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Employment laws in Mississippi allow non-compliant companies to be sued by many different state agencies such as the Departments of Human Services, Employment Security and Attorney General.

Mississippi employment laws help employers protect their businesses through compliance with safety standards, fair hiring practices and work environment. Mississippi state labor laws help both employers and employees have better working relationships in a more productive environment.

Mississippi labor and employment law makes working better for everyone. Labor law, although originally intended to improve working conditions for laborers, boosts business owner’s bottom line by increased productivity.

Mississippi labor laws deal with job safety, employee foreman ratios, break time, lunch time and safety standards within the work environment. Updated Mississippi labor laws meet the demand of new technology and constantly changing work requirements. Understand and comply with MS labor laws to:

1. Stay in compliance with changes to employment laws in Mississippi.

2. Provide productive work environments for employees through MS employment laws.

3. Protect your businesses from frivolous lawsuits.

4. Keep productivity high.

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Display MS employment law posters in easy to read locations around your facility

Keeping employees informed of their rights and responsibilities under employment law in Mississippi keeps them empowered. Mississippi labor law posters provide the latest updates or changes in labor law in Mississippi.

I recommend: GovDocs and LaborLawCenter carry up to date government recommended MS employment law posters for display around your facility.

Protect yourself and your employees by keeping up to date on MS labor laws

The only way to guard your company from frivolous lawsuits and keep employees happy is to promote a safe work environment and understand your rights as an employer. Keeping up to date on changes to current laws and how the effect your particular company is vital to a healthy work environment.

I recommend: Visit the publications division page of the Mississippi Department of Employment Security to understand worker's rights. Also stay up to date on the latest employer news and services from the Employer Services Division.

Increase productivity by going above and beyond required state labor laws in MS

Mississippi employment law, as in any state, give guidelines and requirements for what the state considers a safe working environment. Going above the minimum requirements to keep employees happy is a great way to increase their overall productivity.

I recommend: Visit the US Department of Labor for state by state links to labor issues and policies. HRhero.com is a subscription service offering the latest updates to state by state employment law.

Find Mississippi labor attorneys from Mississippi employment laws firms

Employment law attorneys from Mississippi employment law firms help clients understand MS employment law. Labor lawyers in Mississippi from Mississippi employment law firms keep clients informed and in compliance with the latest changes and updates to MS employment law.

I recommend: Phelps Dunbar LLP and Butler Snow, provide employment and labor law expertise in Mississippi.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Discuss changes to MS work laws with your union representative. If you are a non union business, be sure someone in your Human Resources department is in charge of all employment law related issues.
• •  Post MS employment laws posters anywhere employees tend to congregate or spend time on breaks. Conference rooms, break rooms, lunch rooms and near time clocks are all great places to for labor law posters.

Mississippi labor and employment law basics allow employees to be paid what they deserve and employers to protect their businesses. The primary purpose of these laws is to level the playing field between employees and their employers.

MS labor laws grant specific rights to collective bargaining organizations, also know as labor unions. Federal laws also control the rights of laborers to organize and generally take precedence over Mississippi's state labor laws. Specific classes of employees, such as domestic workers or agricultural laborers, are generally exempted from federal labor laws. Labor and employment law generally may be categorized into the following three groups:

1. MS employment laws that deal with wages and benefits. Many states provide a minimum wage that is greater than the federal minimum wage. Mississippi laws also may offer other protections to workers that are greater than those specified by federal law.
2. Laws on displaying labor law posters. Mississippi has specific requirements on the display of labor and employment laws in the workplace.
3. Workers compensation insurance. Mississippi also has laws that specify the amount of insurance that employers must carry in the event that their employees are injured at work.
   

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Learn about MS employment law that regulates minimum wage and overtime

According to Mississippi labor law, businesses must pay their employees the federal minimum wage. Overtime laws generally control what an employee should be paid after 40 hours of work in the same week.

I recommend: Louis H. Watson provides a summary of the wages and benefits laws in Mississippi. HRTools.com provides extensive information on minimum wage laws in every state, including Mississippi.

Find out how to display posters on MS employer laws

Mississippi labor law posters keep employees informed of their rights and obligations under federal and state labor laws. Employers must display these posters in the workplace in a visible location where they are easy to read.

I recommend: OSHA4LESS.com provides the basic posting requirements for employment and labor laws in Mississippi. The Workplace Safety Store describes the federal and state requirements for labor law posters in Mississippi.

Provide workers' compensation insurance required by employment laws in Mississippi

Workers' compensation insurance in Mississippi protects employees and their families in the event of injury or death of an employee while on the job. Government websites, insurance agencies and labor lawyers in Mississippi commonly have basic information on workers compensation.

I recommend: The Mississippi Workers' Compensation Commission provides official information on workers' compensation insurance in Mississippi. Jay Foster offers specific information on workers' compensation claims in Mississippi.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Mississippi labor laws are guided by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. This federal legislation establishes minimum wages for most workers, along with specific exceptions. The FLSA was amended in 1974 to cover government employees.

Attorneys have a strong motivation to keep informed of Mississippi labor and employment law news and trends. Attorneys need to keep track of the latest rulings in cases involving Mississippi labor and employment law. The state also may change its forms and procedures at any time, which can affect the way these attorneys do their jobs. Attorneys also may want to know what laypeople are saying about labor and employment law, in order to correct any misconceptions they may have.

The best sources of information on news and trends for MS labor laws may be grouped into the following three categories:

1. Independent news sources on Mississippi labor laws, such as blogs, magazines and newspapers. These sources are the most likely to provide news and opinions on labor and employment law that do not rely on any particular business or lobby group.
2. State websites. These sites are the best source of official news and trends on Mississippi labor law, such as current procedures or rulings.
3. Legal professionals. Attorneys’ websites provide opportunities to get inside news and information on labor and employment law.
   

Action Steps
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Study independent sources of news and trends on MS employment laws

News organizations frequently report on legislative updates on Mississippi labor and employment law. Individuals also may keep blogs and journals on labor law in Mississippi.

I recommend: Workplace Prof Blog has a recent post on the labor movement in Mississippi. The Union Review reports labor law news, such as a workplace immigration raid in Mississippi.

Review state websites to get official news and other information on Mississippi worker laws

Mississippi government websites are the best places to get the latest news about Mississippi labor and employment law. A Mississippi website also may publish the state statutes to help attorneys stay informed on the latest legislation that relates to Mississippi labor and employment law.

I recommend: The Mississippi Department of Employment Security provides current information on employment and labor in Mississippi, such as the prevailing wage. The National Right to Work Committee provides a list of pending legislation on labor laws in Mississippi.

Get inside news on Mississippi employment laws from attorneys in Mississippi

Mississippi lawyers who practice labor and employment law frequently have information on Mississippi law that is not available elsewhere. These attorneys may publish newsletters or full length articles on a particular aspect of labor and employment law in Mississippi.

I recommend: McGlinchey Stafford practices employment law in Mississippi and provides news alerts on matters of labor and employment law. Butler Snow publishes newsletters with articles on employment and labor law in Mississippi.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  There are also many online forums for news and trends on MS employment law. These forums may have threads that are dedicated to a particular topic and readers typically will see a lively debate on each subject. The posts in these forums may consist of personal experiences, discussions and opinions. Forums also have a variety of methods for evaluating readers' opinions such as polls, surveys and votes that include reader comments.