Rights & Employment Laws
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the United States has more than 10 million employers and 125 million employees subject to employment laws. The DOL enforces more than 180 employment laws, many of which focus on employee and employer rights. The DOL isn't the only organization that oversees employment rules. The Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are among other organizations that regulate employment rights.
Other People Are Reading
-
Fair Labor Standards Act
-
Employees have the right to fair pay and standardized work hours. The Fair Labor Standards Act governs wages. The FSLA prescribes federal minimum wage, overtime compensation and tipped employee wages. The law requires employers to pay at least minimum wage and sets overtime at one and half times the regular hourly rate. The FLSA limits the employment of teenagers under 18 and forbids the nonagricultural work of those under 16. FSLA laws are administered by the DOL's Wage and Hour Division. The Wage and Hour Division also regulates Family and Medical Leave Act laws that give employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off to deal with the birth (or adoption) of a child, personal illness, or the illness or death of a close relative.
Equal Employment Opportunity Laws
-
Employees have the right to be employed without prejudice. The Equal Employment Opportunity laws are a collection of seven acts that guarantee nondiscrimination and define federally protected groups. The first EEO law was Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans employment discrimination based on sex, religion, race, color or national origin. The most recent EEO law was the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which grants monetary damages to those who have been intentionally discriminated against by their employers.
-
Occupational Safety and Health Act
-
Employees have the right to work in a safe environment. The Occupational Safety and Health Act protects employees from physical harm due to an unsafe workplace. These laws are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. For some high-risk professions, such as construction or manufacturing, OSHA representatives make regular inspections to ensure that the workplace remains hazard free.
Other Employment Rights Laws
-
Many laws govern the rights of particular subsets of employees, such as harbor workers, minors and veterans. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act overseen by the Employee Benefits Security Administration regulates employers who offer welfare or pension benefits to their employees. If employment conditions seem unfair, most employees have the right to unionize according to the rules of the Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
