iNew Mexico Governor Susana Martinez approved a law requiring employers to post a notice containing information about the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline. The new law, H.B. 181, unanimously passed by both legislative chambers, becomes effective July 1, 2014.
Employers subject to the state Minimum Wage Act must post a sign containing the following notice in English and in Spanish and in any other written language where at least 10 percent of the workers or users of a covered facility speak that language:
NOTICE ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING: OBTAINING FORCED LABOR OR SERVICES IS A CRIME UNDER NEW MEXICO AND FEDERAL LAW. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS A VICTIM OF THIS CRIME, CONTACT THE FOLLOWING: IN NEW MEXICO, CALL OR TEXT 505-GET-FREE (505-438- 3733); OR CALL THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE CENTER HOTLINE TOLL-FREE AT 1-888-373-7888 FOR HELP. YOU MAY ALSO SEND THE TEXT “HELP” OR “INFO” TO BEFREE (“233733”). YOU MAY REMAIN ANONYMOUS, AND YOUR CALL OR TEXT IS CONFIDENTIAL.
The sign must be displayed in a conspicuous manner in the employer’s business facility clearly visible to the public and to employees. The English language and Spanish language portions of the sign, and any other written language portions, shall be equal in size.
The state director of the labor relations division of the workforce solutions department is instructed to provide employers with a version of the notice on the agency’s website for employers to download or print.
In addition to employers subject to the Minimum Wage Act, a person licensed as a leasehold community pursuant to Sections 60-6A-2 through 60-6A-5 NMSA 1978, a health facility licensed pursuant to the Public Health Act or a state or local government agency that manages a transportation facility, including a highway rest area, also will be required to post the sign in the licensees’ licensed facilities or in the transportation facility. The respective state departments will provide a version of the notice on their websites for licensees to download or print.
