In the United States, labor laws ensure that certain standards, regulation, and conditions are met in the workplace. Many of these are outlined in legislation including the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938), the Occupational Safety and Health Act (1970), the Civil Rights Act (1964), and the National Labor Relations Act (1935). Although discrimination still exists in public and private work sectors, under the law employers are not allowed to base hiring selections on qualities such as age, race, religious beliefs, disability status, or pregnancy status, among others. Employers that choose candidates based on these characteristics may be subject to penalization by the justice system. Today, many companies in the private sector and organizations in the public sector engage in affirmative action or equal opportunity hiring practices, which ensure that traditionally disadvantaged minorities are afforded access to job prospects.
On the job, these laws allow workers the right to organize, form unions, and engage in collective bargaining for better job conditions, such as pay raises, benefits, or pensions. Some employees may also have a work contract, which dictates the terms of service and compensation. Laws in the United States prevent employers from forcing employees to work for less than minimum wage. Although employees may work more than 40 hours in a week, they must be given overtime pay for every additional hour. Health and safety regulations, upheld by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, ensure that workers are not forced to work in unsafe conditions or exposed to unnecessary hazards without the proper training.
Workplace participation refers to the rights of workers to be involved in the democratic process of decision-making as it is applied to the workplace. This may include the right to become a member of a trade union, the right to organize, and the right to collective action. Workers may not be discriminated against based on […]
When providing services for an employer, all workers may claim certain rights and entitlements according to labor laws in the United States. While exceptions do exist, most workers have the right to fair wages and overtime pay, the right to safe working conditions, and the right to compensation if they are injured on the job. […]
Occupational health and safety is the responsibility of the United States Department of Labor (DOL). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a specific agency within the DOL that is responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which was approved by President Nixon in 1970, are carried out. […]
Employment discrimination occurs when an employer treats a potential employee or a current employee negatively based on certain characteristics, such as race, gender, pregnancy status, religion, nationality, disability status, age, or financial status, among others. A set of federal and state laws that prohibit employers from discriminating during recruitment, hiring, training, performance evaluations, promotions, termination, […]
Under labor laws, employee contracts are agreements between employers and their employees that give both parties certain rights and responsibilities. The contract of employment may outline terms of employment, including when the employee may take vacation or sick leave, wages and overtime pay, benefits, termination, and intellectual property, among others. The terms may vary greatly […]