• Construction workers are not guaranteed breaks under Arizona law.Hard working construction worker at a construction scene. image by Andy Dean from Fotolia.com
  
  Arizona labor law for construction workers is designed to provide safety standards for employers and employees working on building projects through the state. The law also mandates fair employment practices, guards against discrimination and provides a prevailing wage for all construction workers. Without these laws in place workers could be taken advantage of and paid low wages for hard work.
  
  

Fair Labor Standards

• Arizona labor law is in compliance with federal standards regarding the fair hiring and treatment of its construction workers. No one in Arizona may be discriminated against based on race, gender, national origin, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy, disability or age. Disability and age may play a role in the construction industry in determining who is able to perform the tasks required by the position safely however once those criteria have been eliminated the statute applies as normal.
  
  

Who May Work a Construction Job

• In Arizona, only those over the age of 18 are permitted to work on a construction site. This is because Arizona law considers construction work to be a hazardous occupation with regard to minors. Additionally, those under the age of 18 are not permitted to operate certain mechanical equipment that is a necessary component of any construction job. Minors may be employed by construction companies in an office setting but are not allowed to step onto the building site for any reason.
  
  

Prevailing Wages

• As of 2010, the minimum wage for construction workers in Arizona is $7.25 per hour. Union negotiated agreements may increase what is considered the mandatory minimum for these workers however no contract may take the hourly pay rate below this federally established minimum. Additionally, any construction employee that works beyond his normal work week is to receive overtime pay. This pay rate is calculated at his regular hourly pay plus one-half. For example, if your hourly pay rate is $10, your overtime pay rate is $15 per hour.
  
  

Occupational Safety Requirements

• According to the Arizona legislature, employers are required to furnish construction employees with information relating to the common areas of the workplace where injury or death may occur. The employee, in turn is required by law to maintain proper safety protocols to guard against injury and protect other workers around him. Should workers become injured on the job the employer is required to file a claim through his worker's compensation insurance which he must have to do business in Arizona.