BUSINESS LAW FALL 2012 Protection Employment Law

Regulations for Work Conditions Health and Safety-  OSHA- Occupational Safety and Health Administration  Created in 1970 by the Occupational Safety and Health Act  Administered within Department of Labor  Businesses are inspected regularly by this administration and fined if they find irregularities (unsafe areas)

Regulations for Work Conditions Wages, Hours and Benefits  Regulated by the Fair Labor Standards Act  AKA Wage and Hour Law  Regulates and monitors legal hourly wage  Congress approves minimum wage increases Equal Pay Act  Regulates that women and men get equal pay Retirement Income Security Act  Designed to protect employee pension plans so the investments could be watched and regulated

Regulations for Work Conditions con’t  Drug Free Workplace Act  Helps to maintain a drug free workplace  Does not order drug testing  Employee Polygraph Protection Act  Regulates the giving of polygraphs in the workplace  If these acts were not in force, an employee’s rights could be impacted.

Laws That Provide Worker Benefits Social Security Act  Provided for employees families if an employee dies  Provides money as supplemental income during retirement  Provides money to an employee if disability occurs  Employer and employee contribute equal amounts to Social Security  Workers today fund social security for current retirees  Currently more money is going out than is coming in to fund this pension  Your social security number is unique to you and you must guard it because this number will be used for identification throughout your life.

Laws That Provide Worker Benefits Unemployment Laws  Provides money for people who have lost jobs due to being laid off  Monies are limited  Must show proof you are looking for a job  Size of payments are determined by the amount of money that was contributed to the fund.  The employers fund this program

Laws That Provide Worker’s Benefits Worker’s Compensation Laws  Benefits employees by providing monies to employees due to an injury on the job  Provides income to injured employee  Provides health insurance coverage using approved doctors as directed by the employer  Employers help fund this insurance program

Laws Regulating Employment Civil Rights Act of 1964 Prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, color, national origin, or religion. Business must have 15 or more employees to be governed by this law. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission helps to regulate this law. All discrimination complaints go through this commission.

Laws Regulating Employment Age Discrimination in Employment Act 1967  Prohibits the discrimination of employees based on age  Impacts businesses with more than 20 or more employees Americans with Disabilities Act 1990  Prohibits the discrimination of employees based on disabilities  Disability means a physical or mental impairment that inhibits one or more major life activity.  Employers are encouraged to make accommodations for disabled employees; however, if the accommodation is going to put an undue hardship on the business, the business will be excused from making these accommodations.  Accommodation= remodeling door sizes, raising desk height, providing reading equipment for visually impaired employees