No Updates as of February 25, 2005

Unemployment Insurance Law
Contribution rates in Alaska for 2005 will range from 1.30% to 5.4% for eligible employers, based on payroll decline experience. For 2005, the average benefit cost rate used to determine the rates is 0.024940, the trust fund reserve rate is 0.025092, and there is a 0.005% trust fund solvency adjustment. The employee tax rate for 2005 is 0.5% (AK ¶2-1700).

Unemployment Insurance Law
For 2005, the stabilization tax is 0.8%, and there is no extended benefit or advance interest tax in effect. As a result, rates for 2005, including the stabilization tax, will range from 0.9% to 6.8%. New employers pay 3.7% this year, including the stabilization tax (AR ¶4-1700).

Violence in the Workplace Law
The state has enacted a law amending the petition form for an order of protection from domestic abuse to eliminate any requirement for disclosure of social security numbers. The law will take effect 90 days after the Arkansas legislature adjourns (Act 55 (H. 1117), L. 2005, at AR ¶4-3300).

Smoking in the Workplace Law
Effective October 1, 2005, Arkansas will prohibit the use of tobacco products in and on the grounds of all medical facilities (Act 134 (H. 1193), L. 2005, at AR ¶4-2700).

Criminal Background Checks Law
Banks and their affiliates are permitted to deliver the fingerprints of an applicant for employment for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check. Financial Code, Division 1, Chapter 6, Section
777.5, as amended by Ch. 183 (A.B. 3082), L. 2003, effective Jan. 1, 2005. ¶5-23,603.05.

Criminal Background Checks Law
The law relating to the furnishing of state criminal history information has been amended. Penal Code, Part 4, Title 1, Chapter 1, Article 3, Section 11105, as amended by Ch. 570 (S.B. 1388), L. 2003, effective Jan.,2005. ¶5-23,604.01.

Minimum Wage Law
The United States Supreme Court has refused to disturb a decision of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit which upheld the constitutionality of Berkeley, California's living wage ordinance (RUI One Corp v City of Berkeley, 371 F.3d 1137 (9th Cir. Cal., 2004), cert. denied 2005 U.S. LEXIS 290, 73 U.S.L.W. 3399 (2005), ¶59,861, at CA ¶5-1000).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The state's workers' compensation notice has been updated (CT ¶7-9900).

Unemployment Insurance Law
There is a fund balance tax of 1.0% in effect for 2005. Accordingly, the minimum contribution rate is 1.5%, and the maximum contribution rate is 6.4%. The new employer's rate for 2005 is 2.7% (CT ¶7-1700).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The state has updated its unemployment posters (English and Spanish versions) and its workers' compensation poster. Also, the fair employment and sexual harassment posters have been combined into one poster (MA ¶22-9900).

Unemployment Insurance Law
The current maximum weekly benefit amount in Massachusetts is $528 (MA ¶22-1700).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The state's payment of wages poster and the schedule of minors' hours poster have been updated (NJ ¶31-9900).

Unemployment Insurance Law
Rate information has been updated (NJ ¶31-1700).

Equal Employment Opportunity Institute-Public Employment Rule
All supervisors, managers and university chancellors hired on or after July 1, 1991, are required to participate in the Office of State Personnel's Equal Employment Opportunity Institute. The institute was created to enhance equal employment opportunity in state employment. Title 25, Subchapter 1L, Section .0300, Sections .0304 and .0305, as amended effective Jan. 1, 2005. ¶34-23,351.04 and ¶34-23,351.05.

Family and Medical Leave Rules
A female employee who has been granted OFLA pregnancy disability leave need not re-qualify for an additional 12 weeks of leave within the same leave year for any OFLA leave purpose. Chapter 839, Division 9, Sections 839-009-0240 and 839-009-0260, as amended by BLI 3-2005, effective Jan. 7, 2005. ¶38-22,500.04 and ¶38-22,500.06.

Affirmative Action in State Employment Order
It is the policy of the state of Oregon that by and through the agencies, boards and commissions of the Executive Branch, values the principles of equal employment opportunities, affirmative action and diversity and should proactively lead the State on issues of equality and diversity and on the promotion of Affirmative Action. Executive Order 0501, reads as signed by Governor Ted Kulongoski on January 26, 2005.

Criminal Background Checks Rule
Employees of early childhood care and education programs are required to undergo a criminal records check. Chapter 414, Division 61, Section 414-061-0080, as amended by CCD 6-2004, effective Dec.17, 2004. ¶38-23,651.39.

Unemployment Insurance Law
The taxable wage base in Oregon for 2005 remains at $27,000 (OR ¶38-1700).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law Summary
The state's workers' compensation posters (English and Spanish) have been updated (RI ¶41-9900).

Smoking in the Workplace Law Summary
As previously reported, the Public Health and Workplace Safety Act will take effect March 1, 2005. Under this law, smoking will be prohibited in all enclosed public places as well as in all enclosed facilities within places of employment (Ch. 04-198 (S. 2029), L. 2003, at RI ¶41-2700).

Unemployment Insurance Law
Schedule I remains in effect for 2005, with rates ranging from 1.69% to 9.79%. New employers pay 2.04% in 2005. The employee wage deduction for 2005 is 1.4%, down from 1.5% in 2004 (RI ¶41-1700).

Recordkeeping/Posters Law
The state has updated the English and Spanish versions of the following posters: unemployment, workers' compensation, wage payment and employment discrimination. The job safety and health poster has also been updated (SC ¶42-9900).

Unemployment Insurance Law
The statewide reserve ratio for 2005 is 0.898%, so a 0.7% surcharge will be added to all contributory employers' base rates this year. Rates for positive-balance employers range from 1.24% to 2.99%, and rates for negative-balance employers range from 3.34% to 6.10%. New employers pay 3.34%. These rates do not include the 0.06% Administrative Contingency Assessment that remains in effect for 2005 (SC ¶42-1700).