Why We Need HR Employment Laws

Labor laws have been put into place to protect employees and standardize employer responsibility. These laws are important as they allow focus to be on productivity rather than on constant problem-solving.

These laws hold employers accountable. They have helped them shape their current hiring processes and better run their HR departments. They have standardized a minimum wage and developed guidelines for recordkeeping.

Not only have they helped employers, but employees as well. Their rights are protected, and they are granted the opportunity for collective bargaining when negotiating salary, working conditions, and more.

And these laws help keep working environments safe.

Important Legal Topics and HR Labor Laws

Human resources professionals are responsible for managing employees while maintaining compliance with state and federal employment laws. There are several major areas that all HR professionals should be familiar with.

Workplace Discrimination Laws
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws that protect against the discrimination of any individual based on age, genetics, national origin, disability, race/color, sex, pregnancy, or religion. The laws to note are:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
• Equal Pay Act (EPA)
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)

Workplace Safety Laws
There are two major workplace safety laws for HR to consider.

The first is the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). The OSH Act was created to ensure employees are provided with safe working conditions no matter where they work. With that will come audits to make sure workplaces remain safe and address any issues that are found.

Second is worker’s compensation. These laws and regulations outline what to do if employees are injured on the job. Private employers are held to state board regulations while federal employers are held to federal regulations.

Wage and Hour Laws
The main statute that covers these laws and regulations is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which has a few important functions:

• Covers child labor regulations
• Defines overtime pay regulations
• Launched the 40-hour work week
• Established a national minimum wage

Under this is also the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). This act gave eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave due to family and medical reasons while still being able to keep their job and health coverage.

Employee Benefit Laws
These laws cover employees’ benefits and include:

• Affordable Care Act, which increased access to health insurance for those living below the national poverty line.
• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), which states that insurers must keep providing eligible employees with coverage even after they leave their place of employment.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which provides employees with protection from the release of personal medical records.

All Managers and Supervisors Need Training on HR Laws

Managers and supervisors have a shared responsibility with HR and must work in tandem to make sure employees and employers are compliant with these laws.

Team leaders must treat all current and prospective employees equally, without regard to the protected classes as well as put a stop to any harassment happening on the team.

Supervisors must keep track of pay and hours worked, especially overtime hours and payment. Included in this is being aware of employee status and assigning duties accordingly.

When it comes to employees taking time off, supervisors and managers should be alert for discussions regarding health conditions and refer the employee to HR. They should remain in contact with the employee during their time away from the office so everyone is aware of any status changes, while maintaining employee privacy during the leave of absence.

Supervisors play a critical role in providing a safe and accommodating workplace for their employees. This could include flexible scheduling, ADA compliance, removal of job hazards, and adjusting job roles.

Providing training to managers and supervisors along with HR professionals is crucial, as they make decisions everyday regarding these laws.