Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

In September, most kids should be off to school for another year of learning, and experience! The Department offers several training programs for students and teachers to deal with bullying and discrimination, as well as learn about the wage and hour standards for young people working while in school.

The NoMo Bullying presentation is offered to all schools for students and teachers alike to understand their rights and responsibilities when it comes to bullying. Discriminatory bullying is illegal, not to mention hurtful, and it’s important for everyone to know when those words and actions cross the line.

Our Free School Presentation can be given on a variety of topics. Speakers share the most up-to-date information with students at the elementary, high school, or college levels. Some of the programs offered include discrimination and cultural sensitivity training. Check out the full list of programs offered by the Department in our Speaker’s Bureau.

As kids hit the books and focus more on school, their work schedule should slow down.  The Wage and Hour Standards presentation covers general information on several topics including minimum wage, overtime pay, breaks, vacation time, and employment relationships. The Child Labor training presentation informs Missouri employers, parents, school officials, and youth about workplace safety, acceptable positions, and hour restrictions during the summer and the school year. Child Labor presentations also inform audiences about how inspections are performed to ensure employers are complying with the law to protect youth from working in prohibited or hazardous occupations. You can also check our Youth Employment page for additional information and statistics.

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” -John F. Kennedy

In a business setting, working together as a team is crucial to being efficient. It’s important to be a motivating leader to recognize the different talents and skills of your staff and give everyone a chance to shine. The Department presents several training programs that will give your team the positive energy it needs to succeed!

The Team Building training session focuses on creating teamwork within a group of people moving toward a common goal. The training discussions focus on respecting all team members, and learning each other’s weaknesses and strengths to achieve success in the workplace.

No one likes working with a “Negative Nancy,” and work is more productive in a positive environment. The Defeating Negativity in the Workplace training helps eliminate just that…negativity. The causes of negativity in the workplace often revolve around gossiping and distractions. Training discussions include recognizing the mental and physical impact of negativity, and eliminating negativity in the workplace.

“I didn’t realize how much negativity affects the workplace, and how it can really bring the morale of the office down,” said Melissa, a recent participant and Department employee. “Now, I can identify it and work to avoid it.”

The Leadership Standards training provides direction on how to earn trust and establish yourself as a leader in the workplace. Leadership is shown through words and actions and can be displayed in many different ways. Learn how to manage others, while gaining respect to improve motivation, productivity and a positive working environment. Participants will also learn skills to keep work meetings focused, productive, and efficient.

Recently, the Division of Labor Standards (DLS) introduced the Hazard Lab, a new demonstrational training program, at the 2012 Mid-America Labor/Management Conference. The Hazard Lab is a series of 30 workstations designed to represent real, hazardous situations found in various workplaces involving electrical equipment, tools, chemical look-a-likes, and much more. The Hazard Lab is a great hands-on training tool, but requires extensive set-up and a large display area, therefore it is limited to conferences, or events with plenty of space for learning!

The Hazard Lab is just one of the many training opportunities DLS offers to provide a safe working environment. DLS also offers On-Site Safety and Health Consultations to improve the overall safety in your workplace. This free service will provide a mock inspection of your workplace held to OSHA standards. Your safety and health consultant will walk through the workplace facilities and identify any potential safety hazards, without assessing any OSHA fines. But the consultant will take safety a step further! After identifying the hazards in the workplace, consultants will advise you on the most cost-effective ways to correct your hazards and create training and assistance for site-specific written safety and health programs. Eliminating the hazards as they are found will create a safer environment for your employees.

Along with potential hazards, the prevention of workplace violence should be a high priority for all employers and employees. The Workplace Violence training session helps participants learn ways to prevent violence from customers or staff and encourage safety in the workplace. Don’t become a target of violence; learn to protect yourself in the workplace!