Employment

What is Employment Law?

Employment law deals with the relationship between employers and employees. It covers a broad range of issues, including things like:

Wage and Hour Laws

Employers are required to fairly compensate employees for time worked; this includes overtime pay for hourly employees who work over 40 hours in a week and providing wages that at least meet the minimum wage.

Sexual Harassment

Employees have a right to work in an environment free from harassment. Sexual harassment can come in the form of sexual jokes or innuendos, unwanted sexual advances, inappropriate touching, and sexual favors in exchange for promotions or other job benefits. Employers must make sure they provide employees with a safe work environment.

Discrimination

Discrimination takes place whenever someone is not given a job, promotion or raise based on the color of their skin, age, national origin, religion, or sex. When job performance and experience are not the sole criteria for career advancement, discrimination may have taken place.

Whistleblowing and Retaliation

Whistleblowers are people who alert the authorities to the illegal or unethical practices of their employer. Oftentimes, whistleblowers lose their jobs or suffer other serious consequences for taking action against their employer. Such retaliatory action from an employer is generally prohibited in most cases of Whistleblowing. 

Wrongful Dismissal

Wrongful termination occurs when a person loses his or her job in a way that breaches the terms of his or her contract.

Workplace Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces workplace safety and health standards in businesses operating in the United States. When workplaces fail to comply with OSHA regulations and put employees at risk of undue harm, they may be held legally responsible for their willful or negligent disregard of the law.