Kansas
The Sunflower State of Kansas is home to over 2.8 million people, per a 2008 census estimate. Kansas produces significant agricultural output, including wheat, sorghum, beef, and pork products. Prior to European settlement, Kansas was home to a diverse and thriving community of Native Americans, who hunted bison on the plains of the Kansas River. Today, while that independent spirit remains, Kansas has emerged as a hub for industries ranging from communications to hi-tech to financial services and insurance.
The key organization that oversees fair employment practices is The Kansas Department of Labor. Prior to 2004, this body was known as The Kansas Department of Human Resources. The KDOL is run under the auspices of the state’s Secretary of Labor and functions in a variety of capacities to support state workers. The organization runs the Kansas worker’s comp system, enforces wage and hour laws, ensures compliance with child labor laws, researches and profiles employment trends in the state, and helps to regulate safe work conditions. Some of the laws that the KDOL helps enforce include the Kansas Wage Payment Law (state statute 44-313), the Kansas Minimum Wage and Overtime Law (state statute 44-1201), the Kansas Child Labor Law (state statutes 38-602 and 38-603), and the Kansas Private Employment Agency Law, (state statute 44-401).
Recent discrimination cases in Kansas have dealt with definitions of so-called protected classes. For instance, Native Americans are considered members of a protected class, but Anglo Americans are not. So should a person of mixed race be accorded protected class status? If so, what fraction of one’s identity must belong to a protected class be for one to deserve the protection of Kansas’ antidiscrimination laws?
To explore ways to seek justice for sexual harassment, employment discrimination, retaliation, or wage and hour violations, please call or email a representative of Joseph, Herzfeld, Hester & Kirschenbaum for assistance.