The Essential Guide to Federal Employment Laws

Quick answers to questions about 20 Key Employment Laws

A comprehensive guide to 20 of the most important federal employment laws that every employer and HR professional needs to know. Each chapter summarizes one key federal employment law, including which employers are covered by the law, and what the law requires and prohibits, as well as what recordkeeping requirements must be followed.  The laws covered include:

  • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
  • Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Fair Labor Standards Act
  • Family and Medical Leave Act,
  • and more.

See below for a full product description.

  • Product Details
  • This book explains, in plain English, the 20 most important federal employment laws that come up in the workplace. You can look up what each law allows and prohibits, which businesses must comply, and how to fulfill record-keeping, posting, and reporting requirements. Each chapter covers one law, including:

    • Americans with Disabilities Act
    • Age Discrimination in Employment Act
    • Fair Labor Standards Act
    • Family and Medical Leave Act
    • Immigration Reform and Control Act
    • Fair Credit Reporting Act
    • Pregnancy Discrimination Act
    • Equal Pay Act
    • Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
    • Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, and
    • Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.

    The 7th edition includes COVID-19 guidance for employers as well as the latest Supreme Court cases, government regulations, and state laws.

    “[This] clear, informative condensation of this vast and complex subject is probably the best available…. ”—American Reference Books Annual

    ISBN
    9781413329797
    Number of Pages
    496
  • About the Author
  • Table of Contents
  • Overview

    • Which Laws Your Company Must Follow
    • Basic Compliance Tools
    • If You Need More Information

    1. Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)

    • Overview of the ADEA
    • How the ADEA Is Enforced
    • Complying With the ADEA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Age Discrimination

    2. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

    • Overview of the ADA
    • How the ADA Is Enforced
    • Complying With the ADA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Disability Discrimination

    3. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)

    • Overview of COBRA
    • How COBRA Is Enforced
    • Complying With COBRA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Health Coverage Continuation

    4. Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)

    • Overview of the EPPA
    • Major Provisions of the EPPA
    • How the EPPA Is Enforced
    • Complying With the EPPA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Polygraph Tests

    5. Equal Pay Act (EPA)

    • Overview of the EPA
    • How the EPA Is Enforced
    • Complying With the EPA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Equal Pay

    6. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)

    • Overview of the FCRA
    • Major Provisions of the FCRA
    • How the FCRA Is Enforced
    • Agency Enforcement
    • Complying With the FCRA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Credit Reporting

    7. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

    • Overview of the FLSA
    • Major Provisions of the FLSA
    • How the FLSA Is Enforced
    • Complying With the FLSA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Wages and Hours

    8. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

    • Overview of the FMLA
    • Major Provisions of the FMLA
    • How the FMLA Is Enforced
    • Complying With the FMLA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Family and Medical Leave

    9. Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)

    • Overview of GINA
    • Major Provisions of GINA
    • How GINA Is Enforced
    • Complying With GINA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Genetic Discrimination

    10. Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA)

    • Overview of IRCA
    • Major Provisions of IRCA
    • How IRCA Is Enforced
    • Complying With IRCA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Immigration

    11. National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)

    • Overview of the NLRA
    • Major Provisions of the NLRA
    • How the NLRA Is Enforced
    • Complying With the NLRA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Right-to-Work Laws

    12. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act)

    • Overview of the OSH Act
    • Major Provisions of the OSH Act
    • How the OSH Act Is Enforced
    • Complying With the OSH Act
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Occupational Safety and Health

    13. Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA)

    • Overview of OWBPA
    • Major Provisions of OWBPA
    • How OWBPA Is Enforced
    • Complying With OWBPA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Age Discrimination

    14. Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity

    • Reconciliation Act (PRWORA)
    • Overview of PRWORA
    • How PRWORA Is Enforced
    • Complying With PRWORA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to New Hire Reporting

    15. Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)

    • Overview of the PDA
    • How the PDA Is Enforced
    • Complying With the PDA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Pregnancy Discrimination

    16. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX)

    • Overview of SOX
    • How SOX Is Enforced
    • Complying With SOX
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Whistleblowers

    17. Civil Rights Act of 1866 (Section 1981)

    • Overview of Section 1981
    • How Section 1981 Is Enforced
    • Complying With Section 1981
    • State Laws Relating to Race Discrimination

    18. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)

    • Overview of Title VII
    • How Title VII Is Enforced
    • Complying With Title VII
    • Agency Resources
    • State Antidiscrimination Laws

    19. Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)

    • Overview of USERRA
    • Major Provisions of USERRA
    • How USERRA Is Enforced
    • Complying With USERRA
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Military Service

    20. Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN)

    • Overview of WARN
    • How WARN Is Enforced
    • Complying With WARN
    • Agency Resources
    • State Laws Relating to Plant Closings

    Appendixes

    A. Federal Agencies

    B. Nolo Resources

    • Books
    • Nolo’s Website

    Index

  • Sample Chapter
  • Overview

    Most managers and human resources professionals—particularly those who work for larger companies—have to deal with federal employment laws every day. These laws apply in nearly every stage of the employment relationship, from hiring and first-day paperwork to providing benefits and time off to terminations and layoffs. Whether you are developing workplace policies, creating forms and notices for your company to use with employees, or handling employee performance and discipline issues, you need to understand your company’s legal obligations—and make sure that you don’t inadvertently violate the law.

    It can be tough to figure out exactly what these federal laws require. That’s where this book comes in. It explains all of the major federal employment laws: whom they protect, who has to follow them, what they require, and what they prohibit. Each chapter in this book covers a single federal employment law and describes the obligations employers have under each law, including deadlines, posting requirements, and record-keeping rules. If you need more information, each chapter includes a list of additional resources. Many chapters also include charts that provide information on state laws.

    What This Book Does Not Cover

    Some employment situations are not covered in this book. If you fall into one of the following categories, the information you need is likely beyond the scope of this book:

    • Government employers. Although we explain which (if any) federal, state, and local government workers are covered by each law, we don’t detail the special rules that may apply to government employees. For example, although federal government workers are protected from certain types of discrimination by Title VII (see Chapter 18), they must follow a special complaint process that doesn’t apply to private companies. We don’t cover that process here.
    • Federal contractors. Private employers that contract to do work for the federal government are subject to additional employment laws. We don’t cover those laws here.

     

    This overview chapter provides the information you need to get the most out of this book. First, we explain how to figure out which federal laws your company has to follow and when and how state and local laws might come into play. Next, we cover a handful of practical strategies that will help your company comply with these laws, such as consulting with a lawyer, keeping proper documentation, and training. Finally, we explain what to do if you need more help.

    Which Laws Your Company Must Follow

    Employment law comes from many sources. Each of the federal laws (also called “statutes”) covered in this book has been interpreted and refined by court decisions and sometimes by regulations issued by the federal agency responsible for enforcing and administering the law. Many of the topics covered by these laws are also addressed by state and sometimes local laws. If more than one law applies, employers generally must follow whichever law is more beneficial to employees.

    You can use this book to figure out which federal laws apply to your company, which employees are protected by those laws, and whether those laws apply to the situation you are facing. “Which Federal Laws Apply,” below, will help you get to this information quickly.

    At the end of some chapters, this book also provides charts that summarize the laws of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. However, you may have to do some research on your own—or talk to a lawyer—to find out whether a state or local law applies to your situation. This topic is covered in “Which State and Local Laws Apply,” below.

    Which Federal Laws Apply

    Federal employment law consists of three components: the statutes themselves, any regulations issued by the federal agency responsible for administering the law, and court decisions interpreting the law and regulations. Together, these sources define what the terms in the law mean, what employers have to do to comply with the law, and how violations of the law will be handled. Each chapter of this book covers a federal employment statute, any regulations interpreting it, and the major court cases decided under the law.

    Because the employment laws explained here are federal statutes, they apply throughout the country, regardless of what state the company or worker is in. This means that every federal law in this book has the potential to apply to your company if it operates in the United States. We say “potential” because none of these laws apply to every employer and employee, in every situation. Instead, most laws specify which employers need to follow them, which employees are protected by them, and what actions they prohibit and require.

    Different Rules for Unions

    If your company is unionized, the first place to look for answers to your employment questions is not the law, but the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the union and the company. A CBA is a binding contract, so if it gives workers more rights in certain areas (most commonly, wage and hour issues, time off, discipline, and termination procedures), it supersedes the law.

    For example, let’s say you want to know how much time an employee can take off for childbirth and parental leave. You look up the Family and Medical Leave Act in this book and see that it requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. Your company’s CBA, however, gives employees up to 16 weeks of paid leave. Because the CBA is more generous than the law, you must follow its provisions.

    Generally, unions are not allowed to bargain away their members’ federal rights in a collective bargaining agreement. Therefore, a CBA typically cannot provide workers with less than what the federal law requires. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, most courts have upheld a common CBA provision that requires workers to make certain workplace claims only through the union grievance procedure, rather than bringing them to court (which they would otherwise have the right to do). And some laws allow unions and management to bend the rules in a CBA; for example, although some state laws require employers to give workers specified meal and rest breaks, these laws may not apply to a workplace governed by a CBA.

     

    Sources of Federal Employment Law

    Statutes start out as bills passed by the U.S. Congress, which are then signed into law by the President. Statutes are collected in a set of books called the U.S. Code. The first page of each chapter of this book includes the location of the statute in the U.S. Code. For example, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is found at 29 U.S.C. §§ 621–634; this means that it’s located in Title 29 of the U.S. Code, at Sections 621 through 634. Each chapter also provides a link to a website where you can view the statute online.

    Regulations are administrative rules issued by federal agencies. When Congress passes a law, it usually designates a federal agency responsible for interpreting and enforcing that law. In employment law, these agencies are often responsible for receiving employee complaints, creating paperwork (such as posters or notice forms) that employers must use to comply with the law, and imposing penalties on employers that don’t meet their obligations. Sometimes agencies also issue regulations—rules that fill in some of the gaps not addressed by the statute. Regulations are collected in the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.). If regulations have been issued interpreting one of the laws we cover, you’ll find a citation for those regulations—and a website where you can access them online—at the beginning of the chapter. Regulations are updated frequently; our citation is to the most recent version, but you should always check to see whether the regulations have been revised.

    Court decisions are opinions written by judges deciding the outcome of a lawsuit. Often, judges must interpret what a law means in order to decide who should win in court. For example, a court might have to decide what constitutes a reasonable accommodation for an employee with a disability or whether an employer’s decision to transfer an employee who complained of harassment constitutes illegal retaliation. Decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court are the most influential, because they dictate how federal employment laws will be interpreted throughout the country. Decisions by lower courts, such as the U.S. Courts of Appeal and the U.S. District Courts, are binding only in the states or regions covered by those courts.

     

    To figure out whether a particular federal employment law applies to your company and your situation, you’ll need to answer five questions:

    • Does your company have enough employees?
    • Is your company otherwise covered by the law?
    • Is the employee covered by the law?
    • Do all of the law’s provisions apply?
    • Is this situation covered by the law?

    Does Your Company Have Enough Employees?

    Many employment laws apply only to employers with a minimum number of employees. You’ll find these rules under the heading “Covered Employers” in each chapter. For example, because the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) applies only to employers with 50 or more employees, an employer with 20 employees need not comply with that law.

    Is Your Company Otherwise Covered?

    Instead of, or in addition to, a minimum size requirement, some employment laws apply only to certain types of businesses. For example, some laws apply only to companies engaged in “interstate commerce” (and, in a few cases, only to companies that meet a minimum business volume requirement). These rules are included in the chart, “Laws That Apply by Size or Operations of Employer,” below.

    All but the smallest local companies are engaged in interstate commerce within the meaning of these laws. For example, if your company buys, sells, or handles materials or products that have come from or will go to another state, or if your company’s employees communicate across state lines as part of their job duties, your company is most likely engaged in interstate commerce.

    For decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has defined “interstate commerce” very broadly, to encompass virtually any activity that crosses—or could cross—a state’s borders. This expansive definition allows the Court to uphold Congressional legislation: The Constitution gives Congress the right to regulate interstate commerce, so Congress has the widest possible reach when interstate commerce is defined in broad strokes.

    In more recent years, however, the Court has been scaling back this definition to occasionally find that Congress has overstepped its bounds. For example, although the Court ultimately upheld the Affordable Care Act (the health care reform law) on other grounds, a majority of the Court found that Congress exceeded its authority to regulate interstate commerce. This holding signals that the definition of interstate commerce remains in flux. If, after reading the relevant chapter in this book, you believe that your company is not covered, you should probably verify your conclusion with a lawyer.

    Even laws that impose a minimum size requirement don’t apply to every employer that is large enough to be covered. Some laws include exceptions for particular types of employers and some apply only to certain types of companies. For example, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 applies only to companies that are publicly traded or required to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You’ll find this information under the heading “Covered Employers” in each chapter.

     

    Laws That Apply by Size or Operations of Employer

    Law

    Acronym

    Involved in interstate commerce

    Involved in interstate commerce or have $500,000 or more in annual gross sales

    All public companies (publicly traded or required to register with the SEC)

    All private employers
    (1 or more employees)

    15 or more employees

    20 or more employees

    50 or more employees

    100 or more employees

    Age Discrimination in Employment Act

    ADEA

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

    ADA

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

    COBRA

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    Employee Polygraph Protection Act

    EPPA

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Equal Pay Act

    EPA

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Fair Credit Reporting Act

    FCRA

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Fair Labor Standards Act

    FLSA

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Family and Medical Leave Act

    FMLA

     

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

    GINA

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986

    IRCA

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    National Labor Relations Act

    NLRA

    x

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Occupational Safety and Health Act

    OSH Act

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Older Workers Benefit Protection Act

    OWBPA

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

    PRWORA

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Pregnancy Discrimination Act

    PDA

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Sarbanes-Oxley Act
    of 2002

    SOX

     

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

    Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866

    Section 1981

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

    Title VII

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment
    Rights Act

    USERRA

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act

    WARN

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    x

     

    Is the Employee Covered?

    Some employment laws apply only to employees who have worked for the employer for a certain period of time. Others exclude independent contractors, apply only to employees in certain occupations, or apply to people other than employees. For example, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) applies not only to employees and former employees, but also to their spouses and dependents, if they are covered by the employer’s group health insurance plan. Each chapter explains whom the law protects under the heading “Covered Workers.”

    Do All of the Provisions Apply?

    Some laws have provisions that apply only to certain workers and/or certain employers. For example, the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act that require employers to pay overtime and minimum wages don’t apply to certain types of employees, including certain computer specialists, border patrol agents, and criminal investigators. In some cases, only a portion of the law will apply to a business. For instance, the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) prohibits employers with four or more employees from discriminating based on immigration status. However, employers with fewer than four employees must still comply with IRCA’s verification provision, which requires employers to check that their employees are legally authorized to work in the United States.

    You can find this additional coverage information within the discussion of each provision of the law, under the headings “Covered Employers” and/or “Covered Workers.”

    Is Your Situation Covered?

    Each law covers a limited spectrum of employment issues and may not extend to the problem or question you’re facing. We’ve included two charts below to help you figure out which chapters to review. The first, “What Each Law Covers,” gives a very brief summary of the law. The second, “Laws That Apply to Common Employment Situations,” lets you know which aspects of the employment relationship are covered by each law. Once you decide which laws might apply, you’ll need to read the sections called “What’s Prohibited” and “What’s Required” in the chapters covering those laws to find out whether your particular situation is addressed.

    For example, if you have a question about discrimination, you’ll see that several laws prohibit discrimination in employment. You’ll also see that these laws prohibit different types of discrimination—for instance, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits race discrimination, while the Equal Pay Act prohibits gender-based wage discrimination. To find out precisely what each law requires and prohibits, turn to the appropriate chapters.

    In addition, some laws make exceptions for certain situations in which employers are not required to comply with the law. You can find this information in the “Exceptions” section of each chapter. For example, although the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) generally requires large employers to give employees advance notice of a layoff, there is an exception for closures of temporary facilities.

    Which State and Local Laws Apply

    Even if you follow every applicable federal employment law to the letter, your company could still be violating other legal obligations to its employees. The federal government isn’t alone in regulating the employment relationship— state and local governments have been increasingly active in passing their own employment laws as well. If your company and situation are covered by more than one law, you must follow the law that is the most beneficial to the employee in a particular situation.

     

    What Each Law Covers

    Law

    Summary

    ADEA

    Age Discrimination in Employment Act: prohibits employers from discriminating against employees who are 40 and older

    ADA

    Americans with Disabilities Act: prohibits discrimination against qualified employees with disabilities; requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees and applicants with disabilities

    COBRA

    Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act: requires employers to provide continued group health insurance coverage for up to 36 months to employees (and possibly their spouses and dependents) who would otherwise lose coverage

    EPPA

    Employee Polygraph Protection Act: prohibits employers from requiring or asking employees or applicants to take a polygraph test in most circumstances

    EPA

    Equal Pay Act: requires employers to give male and female employees equal pay for doing equal work

    FCRA

    Fair Credit Reporting Act: requires employers to provide notice and get consent before ordering a credit report or other types of background or investigative reports on employees or applicants; requires employers to give certain information to employees or applicants before taking negative action based on a report; establishes standards employers must follow to destroy consumer records

    FLSA

    Fair Labor Standards Act: establishes the minimum wage; determines what constitutes work time for purposes of calculating pay; requires overtime pay for certain employees; restricts child labor

    FMLA

    Family and Medical Leave Act: entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year, with continued health benefits, for their own serious health conditions, to bond with a new child, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or for a qualified exigency due to a family member’s call to active military duty; family members of servicemembers who suffer a serious injury or illness may take up to 26 weeks of leave in a single 12-month period (military caregiver leave)

    GINA

    Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act: prohibits employers from making employment decisions based on genetic information or requiring employees to provide genetic information; requires employers to keep employees’ genetic information confidential

    IRCA

    Immigration Reform and Control Act: prohibits discrimination on the basis of citizenship and national origin in every aspect of employment; requires employers to verify that employees are authorized to work in the United States and keep records to that effect

    NLRA

    National Labor Relations Act: regulates the relationship of employers and unions; prohibits employers and unions from engaging in unfair labor practices; protects employees who engage in concerted activities to improve working terms and conditions, whether the workplace is unionized or not

    OSH Act

    Occupational Safety and Health Act: requires employers to comply with workplace safety and health standards

    OWBPA

    Older Workers Benefit Protection Act: prohibits age discrimination in the provision of benefits for employees 40 and older; explains the criteria to be used in determining whether equal benefits have been provided; requires employers to include particular language in a waiver of an employee’s right to sue for age discrimination

    PRWORA

    Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act: requires employers to report new hires to a state registry, which uses the information to enforce child support obligations

    PDA

    Pregnancy Discrimination Act: prohibits discrimination on the basis of pregnancy or childbirth in every aspect of employment; requires employers to treat pregnant women who are temporarily unable to work the same way they treat workers who are temporarily disabled for other reasons

    SOX

    Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002: prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who complain of shareholder fraud; requires companies to establish procedures allowing employees to submit anonymous complaints about accounting and auditing practices; requires companies to establish procedures for taking, handling, and retaining such complaints

    Section 1981

    Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866: prohibits race discrimination in the making or enforcement of contracts, which includes every aspect of the employment relationship

    Title VII

    Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex in every aspect of employment

    USERRA

    Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act: prohibits discrimination against applicants and employees who serve in the armed services; requires employers to reinstate employees who take up to five years off to serve in the armed services and to restore their benefits; prohibits employers from firing reinstated employees, except for cause, for up to one year after they return

    WARN

    Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act: requires employers to give 60 days’ notice to employees who will lose their jobs through large layoffs or plant closings, with limited exceptions

     

    Laws That Apply to Common Employment Situations*

    Law

    Hiring

    Background Checks

    Testing

    First-Day Paperwork

    Benefits

    Compensation

    Hours

    Health and Safety

    Investigations

    Discrimination/
    Harassment

    Leave/
    Time Off

    Unions/
    Organizing

    Whistleblowing

    Layoffs

    Terminations

    ADEA

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    ADA

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    COBRA

     

     

     

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    EPPA

    x

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    EPA

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

     

     

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

    FCRA

    x

    x

     

     

     

     

     

     

     x

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    FLSA

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

     

     

     

     

    FMLA

     

     

     

     

    x

     

    x

    x

     

     

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    GINA

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    IRCA

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    NLRA

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

    x

     

     

     

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    OSHA

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

     

     

     

    x

     

     

    OWBPA

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

     

     

     

    x

     

     

     

    x

    x

    PRWORA

     

     

     

    x

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    PDA

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    SOX

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    x

    x

     

     

    x

     

    x

    Sec. 1981

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    Title VII

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    USERRA

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

    x

    x

    x

     

     

    x

    x

    WARN

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    x

     

    *  You’ll see that most of the antidiscrimination laws appear with nearly every issue. Because these laws prohibit discrimination in every aspect of employment, employers could violate them by undertaking any common employment practice with the intent to discriminate. For example, let’s say an employer required only applicants who have served in the military to take a psychological test, based on the hiring manager’s belief that such applicants are more likely to be mentally unstable. This would violate USERRA’s ban on discrimination against those who have served in the military, even though USERRA doesn’t explicitly address the issue of testing.

     

    This book will help you get started in figuring out which state laws might apply. At the end of many chapters, you’ll find charts summarizing the laws of the 50 states and the District of Columbia on the same topic. For example, at the end of the chapter on the FLSA, you’ll find charts on state minimum wage, overtime, and meal and rest break laws. However, these charts may not provide the details you need. In that case, you should contact your state’s labor or fair employment practices department, consult a resource on the employment laws of your state, or talk to a local employment lawyer.

    To find out whether local laws might come into play, you’ll have to find out what your city or county requires. Some local governments post their laws (often called “ordinances”) or information for local employers on their websites; you can find links to many city and county websites at www.statelocalgov.net. You can also consult a local employment attorney.

    State and local laws can be quite similar to federal employment laws, structurally speaking. They cover similar topics, apply only to certain employers (often those with a minimum number of employees), and protect only certain types of employees. However, state and local laws often cast a wider net in terms of which employers are covered and what rights are guaranteed to employees. If you live in a large metropolitan area, chances are good that local ordinances will apply to your company.

    Putting It All Together

    Here are a couple of examples to illustrate how to figure out which laws your company has to follow.

    Example 1:The only manager of a four-employee graphic design company in Berkeley, California, wants to know what the company’s obligations are to applicants with disabilities. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act governs this issue, but it applies only to private employers with at least 15 employees. California also has an antidiscrimination law that prohibits disability discrimination, but it applies only to employers with at least five employees. However, the city of Berkeley prohibits all companies that contract with the city from discriminating on the basis of disability. Therefore, if the company wins a bid to redesign the city’s website, it will have to comply with this municipal law.

    Example 2: A national restaurant chain is considering expanding to New Mexico. Its HR director does some research and learns that New Mexico’s minimum wage is $11.50 an hour in 2022. Because this is higher than the current federal minimum wage ($7.25 an hour), the chain will have to pay its workers the higher state amount. But if the chain decides to open in Santa Fe County, it will have to pay workers at least $12.32 an hour, because the county has adopted a living wage law that applies to all employers that are required to have a business license from the county. Both federal and New Mexico law require employers to pay tipped workers a wage of at least $2.80 an hour, as long as they make enough in tips to earn the applicable minimum wage. However, Santa Fe County requires employers to pay tipped employees a base wage of at least $3.69 per hour.

    Basic Compliance Tools

    This book will help you understand which federal employment laws your company must follow and what those laws mean. However, to stay out of legal trouble, your company must do more than simply follow the letter of the law. It will also have to adopt some practical strategies to make sure that it meets its legal obligations. These compliance tools are not strictly “required” by the laws covered in this book, but a company that wants to avoid legal problems should consider them standard operating procedures. This section briefly explains a handful of basic strategies every company should follow, but it is only an introduction to these important topics. The ins and outs of creating an effective compliance program are well beyond the scope of this book. However, Nolo has plenty of detailed resources that will help you design and implement procedures for compliance; see “If You Need More Information,” below.

    Lawyers

    Even the most conscientious HR professional occasionally needs help from a lawyer. Although you can handle many employment issues on your own, some are particularly tricky and require some legal expertise. As you read this book, you’ll see that we sometimes advise you to consult with a lawyer if you need more information on a difficult topic. And with good reason: Although lawyers don’t come cheap, your company can save money in the long run by avoiding mistakes that could lead to costly lawsuits.

    There are no hard and fast rules that determine when you should consult with a lawyer. Some factors to consider include your personal comfort level, how important the issue is, how many employees are affected, whether your company is facing significant legal exposure, and your company’s budget.

    However, as a general rule, it’s better to consult with a lawyer sooner rather than later in any potentially difficult situation.

    You can use a lawyer for a variety of tasks, including:

    • Document drafting or review. A lawyer can create or edit documents that you can use over and over again, such as employment contracts, employee notice forms, waivers, your employee handbook, and other written policies.
    • Advice on employment decisions. Of course, your company would quickly go out of business if it consulted a lawyer every time an employee was hired or disciplined, but there are times when a lawyer’s advice will be very valuable. If, for example, you are considering firing a worker who is on FMLA leave or has recently complained of sexual harassment, a lawyer can help you make sure that you have adequate legal support for your decision.
    • Help understanding your legal obligations. As noted above, companies must follow whichever law—federal, state, or local—provides the most benefits for workers. A lawyer can help you untangle these obligations and assist you in figuring out your responsibilities when several laws overlap.
    • Representation in legal or administrative proceedings. If an employee files a complaint with an administrative agency or a lawsuit, your company should consult with a lawyer right away. Good legal advice at the outset can mean the difference between winning and losing the case.

    We hope you enjoyed this sample. The complete book is available for sale here at Nolo.com.

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