Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-19
NEW LABOR LAWS.
Changes That Have Been Made by
Enactment of tho 18th Legislature.


labor statistics and the Office of State
factory inspector will cease to exist
on July / and in it's place there will
be a State department of labor and in
dustry in charge of a commissioner of
labor and industry and State factory
inspector to hold office for a period of
three years. The act creating the new
department authorizes the Governor
within 80 days after July l to APP
point commissioner of labor and in
dustry and State factory inspector. 1t
is generally understood that the pres
ent commissioner of the bureau of in
dustrial and labor statistics, John f.
Connolly of Bangor. who was appoint
ed last January by Governor Plaisted,
will receive the appointment as com
missioner of labor and industry and
State factory inspector.
The new law fixes the salary of
the commissioner at $500 per year
and gives him power to appoint to
hold office during his pleasure a dep
uty, who shall be cl ark of the depart
mcnt and deputy State factory in
spector He has also power to APP
point woman factory inspector.
The salary of this deputy is fixed
at 1890 year and the department
Is allowed a stenographer at a salary
Of $500 year. The total annual APP
preparation for the department of labor
for all purposes is fixed at $4,000.
A law was passed by the last Leg
isla ture requiring the proprietor, man
ager or person. having charge of any
Ia ocfa lich "a Gbnn
hotel. or restaurant. or other place
where women or girls ara employed as
clerks or help therein. to provide
chairs, stools. or other contrivances for
the comfortable use of such female
employees for the preservation of their
health and for rest when not active
~ employed in the discharge of theii
duties.
The weekly payment of wages law
was also passed by the 18th Legisla-
ture. The new law excerpts employees
engaged in numbering operations and
employees of cooperative corporations
or associations provided they are
stockholders. 1t provides that in all
other cases the employer shall pay
weekly each employee engaged in his
within eight days of the said pay
ment and that any employee leaving
his or her employment shall be paid
in full on the following regular pay
day, and in case of discharge that the
employee shall be paid the wages
due him on demand. The law also
requires the State. county and city
to so pay every mechanic, workman
and laborer employed. The law pro-
vides as a penalty for it's violation a
fine of not more than $40 nor less
than $50.
The law relating to the hours of
employment of women and children
has been amended SO as to exempt
the sardine and other packing and
canning factories from the provisions
of the law The amendment provides
that nothing in the existing law shall
apply to any manufacturing estab-
lishment or business. the materials
and the products of which are perish
able and require immediate labor
thereon to prevent damage or decay.
A new law has been passed in re-
lation to employment agencies which
requires all persons opening employ
ment agencies to obtain a license from
the municipal officers of the city or
town where the agency is located. the
license fee being s25 annually The
agent is required to keep a register
in which shall be entered in the Eng
lish language the date of every ac
cepted application for employment,
name and address Of the applicant,
name and address of the person to
whom the applicant is sent for en-
ployment. and the fee received. The
fee is in no case to exceed 81. The
agent IS forbidden to send any fe-
male help or servants to any house
of ill-fame or gambling house and is
forbidden to permit prostitutes. in
toNicated persons. gamblers or pro-
curers to visit such agency. Munich
pal officers are permitted to institute
criminal proceedings in connection
with violations of the provisions of
the act. The law does not apply to
the employment of seamen or to teach
ers agencies. or to charitable insti
tutions.
a new law has also been passed in
regard to the reporting of accidents
to the labor commissioner. which COM
pels the person in charge of any fac
tory workshop. or other industrial es-
adjustment, to report in writing to
the commissioner of labor all deaths.
accidents, or serious injuries occurring
on the premises within 10 days from