Introduction
The U.S. Department of Labor oversees the enforcement of over 180 federal laws regulating workplace activities in approximately 10 million workplaces and 150 million workers.
The United States has hundreds of federal employment and labor laws that affect employers and employees. These laws cover everything from the definition of employment to regulations governing who can work and under what circumstances they must be compensated.
Federal Employment Laws
Federal employment laws regulate employment, wages, hours of work, salary, discrimination, harassment, employee benefits, paid leave, job applicant and employee testing, privacy, and other important labor rights and employee issues.
Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes federal minimum wage and overtime pay at one and a half times the regular rate. It also regulates child labor and limits the number of hours minors can work.
Employee Retirement Income Security Act
The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) oversees employer-sponsored retirement plans and the requirements for fiduciaries, disclosures, and reporting. ERISA does not apply to all private employers and does not require companies to provide plans for workers, but it sets standards for plans if employers choose to offer them.
Family and Medical Leave Act
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers with more than 50 employees to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for childbirth or adoption, for a serious health condition of the employee or spouse, child, or parent, or for certain emergencies related to an active duty military member of the family, including child care needs. If the active service member has a serious illness or injury while on duty, the coverage can be extended to up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12 month period.
Occupational Safety and Health Act
The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) regulates health and safety conditions in private industries to ensure that work environments do not pose serious risks. Covered employers are required to post a notice in the workplace explaining workers’ rights to request an inspection from OSHA and how to receive training on hazardous working environments and report issues.
Civil Rights Laws
There are numerous laws that prohibit discrimination based on gender, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against job applicants based on disability.
More Employment Laws and Guidelines
Additional employment laws and guidelines include the Affordable Care Act – nursing mothers, background check laws, labor break laws, child labor laws, compensatory time laws, discrimination laws, drug testing laws, employee or independent contractor laws, at-will employment laws, credit check laws in hiring, employment discrimination laws, the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, exempt employees, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, harassment, immigration and nationality laws, information that employers can disclose, minimum wage, non-compete agreements, overtime pay, pay instead of notice, snow day pay, Social Security disability, unemployment laws, unpaid wages, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, wage garnishment, workers’ compensation, termination for misconduct, unemployment laws, unpaid wages, Military Service Rights and Reemployment Act, wage garnishment, and wrongful termination.
Legal Advice Resources
If you need more information about specific labor laws, electronic legal advisors are interactive tools provided by the U.S. Department of Labor. These tools provide detailed information on a number of federal employment laws.
Questions
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Sources:
U.S. Department of Labor. “Summary of Key Labor Department Laws.”
U.S. Department of Labor. “Break Time for Nursing Mothers.”
Social Security. “Benefits for People with Disabilities.”
U.S. Department of Labor. “USERRA.”
U.S. Department of Labor. “Workers’ Compensation.”
FLRA. “Unfair Labor Practice.”
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/list-of-employment-laws-2062282
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