• Utah adopts certain provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.Utah state contour with Capital City against blurred USA flag image by Stasys Eidiejus from Fotolia.com
  
  Utah labor law does not address issues pertaining to employment discrimination, disability determination, time off or the Family Medical and Leave Act (FMLA). This is because the state adopts federal statutes dealing with these issues. Nonetheless, Utah labor laws cover a wide range of issues including, but not limited to, workers' compensation, employment of minors and minimum wage.
  
  

Minimum Wage Provisions

• Utah law imposes specific minimum wage requirements, which may vary depending on the federal minimum wage rate. In August 2010, the Utah minimum wage was $7.25 per hour.
  
  If you are a minor undergoing training, the law authorizes your employer to pay you $4.25 during the first three months of your employment. After this time, your employer must pay you the regular current minimum wage.
  
  You may not be eligible for the general minimum wage requirements if you are a tipped employee. According to the Utah Labor Commission, a tipped employee "is one who customarily and regularly receives tips, who is not a chef, janitor or dishwasher, and who receives at least $30.00 a month in tips." If your position falls within the scope of this definition, as of August 2010, your employer may you $2.13 per hour.
  
  

Child Labor Provisions

• Utah does not require minors to obtain work permits before engaging in employment activity. Nonetheless, the state provides minors with certain rights and privileges in the workplace. One such example is meal breaks. If you are a minor under the age of 18, your employer must provide you with a minimum meal period of 30 minutes no later than five hours after beginning your shift. Similarly, your employer must provide you with a rest break of at least 10 minutes for every three-hour period you work.
  
  Generally, the employment age for minors in Utah is 14. Once you reach this age, you "can work in retail trade and the restaurant industry and do office work and other types of non-hazardous work" according to the Utah Labor Commission.
  
  

Workers' Compensation

• Utah operates a mandatory system of workers' compensation. Under this system, the law requires employers to provide workers' compensation insurance to their employees. Although this benefit is mandatory, Utah law allows your employer to initially choose your physician/medical provider. Utah has one of the shortest waiting periods. If you are injured in the workplace, the minimum number of days you can wait to receive your workers' compensation benefits is three days.
  
  The state also practices retroactive compensation, which is a system that allows you receive payment for any length of time spent away from work due to your injury. To qualify for retroactive compensation, your injury must continue for a minimum of 14 days from the original date of injury.