In addition to learning fundamental HR skills, such as how to read resumes, interview candidates and provide ongoing support for new employees, HR professionals must be proficient in many areas of Nevada employment law. This not only helps them create a positive working environment that bolsters employee morale, but it also ensures that your company will not be the subject of a work-related lawsuit that could jeopardize your standing in the business community.

You can easily design a Nevada labor and environmental law education and training program by following a few easy steps:

1. Research Nevada employment laws in official documents.

2. Stay on top of the issues by reading articles that Nevada labor law attorneys make available on their websites.

3. Advance your training on employment laws in Nevada by attending seminars that well-known professionals sponsor.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find original sources of labor laws in Nevada

Before your staff can fully comprehend the impact of Nevada labor laws, they must know where to get the full text versions contained in the statutes that were passed by the state's legislature. HR staff needs this skill in order to revise the company's HR policy and suggest alternative strategies.

I recommend: Access the Nevada State Legislature website when you must search for the statutes regarding employment practices. Check E L Infonet.com for published articles explaining how recent Nevada Supreme Court decisions impact all businesses in the state. Read text versions of Nevada labor laws respecting minimum wage, discrimination and workers' compensation claims at Labor Law Talk. Search for published opinions dealing with employment law issues on the Nevada Supreme Court website.

Learn the issues from labor lawyers in Nevada and other legal professionals

Urge your HR staff to continue their study of labor laws by monitoring recent court opinions and legal updates that top Nevada employment law firms publish.

I recommend: Check the comments under several categories of Employee Rights that are posted on Lex Blog. On the Nevada Appellate Law website, find out what the Nevada Supreme Court has ruled about employees who file lawsuits for workers' compensation benefits on the grounds that they have been stressed at their jobs. The national law firm, Jackson Lewis, monitors current decisions from Nevada's high court, which affect the sensitive issue of employer discretion.

Attend seminars on NV employment law

Advance HR employees to the point where they continue in their Nevada labor and environmental law education and training by hearing about labor-related issues from legal professionals outside of your company.

I recommend: The Latin Chamber of Commerce hosts an employment law seminar that aims to educate HR professionals and employers about employment policies that might give rise to valid claims against their companies. Attend a seminar sponsored by the Nevada Employment Attorneys so that you'll learn about new federal and state labor laws that impact your business.

Nevada labor and environmental law changes as new issues arise. Laws should be reviewed by your business regularly in order to protect your employees and your business.

You do not want your business to be forced to pay penalties or deal with lawsuits for either labor violations or environmental infractions. Avoid such problems by consulting with a well-trained lawyer who specializes in Nevada labor laws and environmental regulations.

Nevada labor laws cover a variety of issues such as:

1. The state minimum wage,

2. Required employee breaks,

3. Discrimination,

4. Harassment,

5. Nevada employee rights,

6. Overtime pay for different types of employees,

7. Safety and health protection.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consult with labor lawyers in Nevada

Nevada labor law attorneys are more familiar with the statutes and regulations that Nevada businesses face than are attorneys from elsewhere. Look for an attorney who has experience in your specialty, a good track record and time to devote to your needs.

I recommend: Morris, Polich & Purdy specialize in Nevada labor and environmental law. They provide employment counseling, draft forms, and provide training on labor issues to supervisors and managers of small or large businesses. They also help individuals or groups avoid costly legal battles related to environmental issues. Nevada employment law firms like the Lyons Law Firm assists businesses and individual contractors comply with Nevada employment laws.

Post Nevada labor laws where managers and staff can see them easily

In order to protect your business and your employees, everyone needs to be informed of their rights and obligations as employees of a Nevada business.

I recommend: Good sources for Nevada labor law information that you can post throughout your business, particularly in break rooms or near time clocks, are the LaborLawCenter, GovernmentPoster.com and GovDocs.

Find help when you do have a problem with labor laws in Nevada

If your business is too small to hire a full-time attorney or human relations specialist with training in Nevada labor law, look at consulting firms. They can provide training, review policies, answer questions and evaluate whether complaints about labor law violations have merit.

I recommend: Swenson Consulting Services helps small businesses determine what they need to improve regarding Nevada employee rights and helps them do it. Similarly, the National Professional Employment Organization offers to audit your company and help you fix Nevada labor law problems.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If your business plans to deal with chemicals, check with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to see if you need a permit under Nevada labor laws.

Whether you plan to become a lawyer specializing in labor rights, or you are an employer or an employee requiring legal aid, understanding Nevada labor and environmental law basics gives you a good start in the business. The basics inform you of your rights and how to negotiate with others.

Labor lawyers in Nevada understand federal laws, as well as the state laws. They know current events, have an awareness of legislation in process and study labor and environmental legal cases from the past. To learn more about Nevada labor and environmental law basics, you might want to consider the following choices:

1. Brush up on Nevada labor laws utilizing online resources.

2. Approach Nevada employment law firms that specialize in working with employees.

3. Learn Nevada labor and environmental law basics so that you can specialize in Nevada employer rights.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand the statutes and regulations used by Nevada labor law attorneys

A Nevada labor law attorney must become familiar with state-specific rules and regulations. Read through statutes and regulations to familiarize yourself with the inner workings of government regulation.

I recommend: The Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner website lists a variety of statutes related to laws and regulations that the labor commissioner enforces. It links to sites that detail each statute. Nevada Labor Attorney.com offers information and links to the Constitution of Nevada. The website offers research materials for those interested in learning more about Nevada labor laws.

Find out how Nevada employment laws benefit the employees, as well as the employer

Many NV employment law firms specialize in laws focused on maintaining an employee's rights. These laws cover areas such as wages and work hours and employment opportunities.

I recommend: LawFirms.com offers legal information on Nevada employment. It defines laws for pay cycles, breaks, wages, termination and other legal areas of interest for an employee. The Legislative Counsel Bureau offers links to information for various legal records regarding employees rights. It defines and clarifies finer points of the law in areas such as false representation in regards to an employer's ability to pay wages and unlawful commissions.

Work for a Nevada employment law firm focused on protecting an employer's rights

Lawyers specializing in Nevada employment law might want to address topics specific to an employer. These topics might include areas such as labor relations and strike support.

I recommend: Reed Elsevier offers a link covering employment law requirements for Nevada employers. The site addresses issues such as references, handbooks, safety in the workplace and sexual harassment, among other topics. Go to HRhero.com for information on employment laws for employers. This site provides educational opportunities and a monthly newsletter in addition to other resources.

Nevada labor and employment law news and trends are of great interest to attorneys who practice employment law in Nevada. Employment law attorneys must keep track of the frequent changes in the law that relate to unions and laborers in Nevada. They also need to be familiar with the many procedures and forms related to labor and employment law that may change at any time. Attorneys also need to know what the public thinks about rulings on labor and employment law in Nevada. All of these highly volatile factors can change the way attorneys in labor law do their jobs.

News on employment laws in Nevada generally may be grouped according to the source of information. These include following three categories:

1. Independent sources of news on Nevada labor laws. They provide opinions, as well as hard news, on labor law from many different businesses, individuals and lobby groups. Independent news sources typically consist of blogs, magazines and newspapers.
2. Websites from the Nevada state government. These sites provide official procedures and rulings on Nevada labor law.
3. Labor lawyers. Attorneys that practice labor and employment law in Nevada frequently have inside news on labor law in Nevada.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Study independent sources of news and trends on Nevada employment law

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

I recommend: The Nevada Observer has an article on recent changes in the overtime rates in Nevada. The Las Vegas Sun reports on a recent case in Las Vegas involving employee tips.

Review state websites to get official news and other information on labor laws in Nevada

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

I recommend: The Nevada Office of the Labor Commissioner provides regular government news bulletins on labor law in Nevada. The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation is the official source of information on employment law trends in Nevada.

Get inside news on labor laws from labor lawyers in Nevada

Nevada employment law firms who practice labor and employment law frequently have information on Nevada 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 Nevada.

I recommend: Lewis and Roca practices labor law and publishes regular articles on labor law in Nevada. Lionel Sawyer & Collins provides alerts for its clients on current employment law issues in Nevada.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Nevada employment laws are generally guided by federal law, which set the standard work week to 40 hours in 1950. However, some lines of work may be an exception to the 40 hour work week maximum. For example, seasonal work, such as harvesting crops, can require laborers to work 72 hours in a week.