Growth in a nation’s economy is a result of its strong labor force. The labor force refers to every individual capable of transforming raw materials into a finished product or service that can be bought and sold.
As a country’s labor force grows, so does its capacity to produce goods and services. For this reason, a nation’s workforce is its most valuable resource. So, to protect the workers, specific labor laws are in place to empower and protect the workforce.
It’s our job as workers to ensure we’re getting fair pay and treatment by knowing about our rights and privileges under labor laws.
What are Labor Laws?
Labor laws serve as a middle ground for the government, organizations, employers, workers, and unions. To put it simply, labor law or employment law is the body of law that lays out the obligations of employers and the rights of employees regarding things like workers’ compensation and workplace safety.
Federal Labor and Employment Laws
Here are some important workers’ rights to keep in mind if you’re planning on entering the workforce soon, all of which are intended to safeguard your welfare and safety on the job.
The Civil Rights Act
Based on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, discrimination based on a person’s race, color, religion, sexual orientation, or national origin is unlawful. The provisions of this civil rights act prohibit hiring, promoting, and terminating based on sex and race.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act
In 1970, The Occupational Safety and Health Act was established to ensure that all workers are treated fairly and are safe in the workplace. Its function is to monitor work-related hazards and encourage employees and employers to take steps to prevent or minimize potential dangers in the workplace.
The Family and Medical Leave Act
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a law that allows workers to take time off without pay for specific family and medical reasons. Certain employees are eligible for a maximum of 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leaves every year under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Their group health insurance must also remain in effect during their leave.
The National Labor Relations Act
Its goal is to safeguard workers’ protections and rights, promote collective bargaining, and limit exploitative labor and management practices in the private sector that threaten the well-being of employees, businesses, and the economy.
The Fair Labor Standards Act
To protect both full-time and part-time employees in the federal, state, and local governments as well as private sectors from exploitation, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) mandates specific base pay, overtime compensation, recordkeeping, as well as child labor regulations.
Age Discrimination in Employment Act
Any employer who treats a jobseeker or employee less favorably because of their age violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Also, companies can’t discriminate against applicants because of their age when referring them for a job.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) also applies to unions, prohibiting them from discriminating against potential members because of their age.
Norris-LaGuardia Act
This Act guaranteed workers freedom to strike. It made it unlawful for courts to interfere with a worker’s freedom to strike, organize through a union, help another worker during a labor dispute, peacefully protest, or peacefully assemble.
Aside from knowing the labor laws, reading through the company’s employment contract is one way to secure your rights as a worker. You, as an employee, will benefit from this agreement since it includes provisions for resolving any issues or disagreements.
What Is an Employment Contract?
The terms and conditions of employment should be spelled out in a legal contract, including details about the employer, the total number of required working hours, workplace conditions, who they’ll be reporting to, how much they’ll be paid, additional remuneration, and conditions for termination.
Written contracts, oral contracts, and implied, oral contracts are the most common types of agreements recognized around the world.
Written Contracts
A contract can be written or verbal, but a written agreement makes it easier for both parties to understand the worker’s entitlement to specific salary and working conditions.
Certain written agreements are subject to discretion, while others are not. Executives often use written contracts to ensure hired individuals remain employed for a specified amount of time and prohibit the company from terminating them without justifiable grounds.
Oral Contracts
Any agreement between two or more parties that is not in writing and is based entirely on oral terms is known as an “oral contract.” For instance, a business owner may make an employment offer and discuss working conditions with a prospective employee over the phone. Nonetheless, oral contracts are regarded as binding contracts of employment.
A verbal agreement can be an at-will agreement much like a written one, allowing either party to end the working relationship for any reason, provided that doing so is not against the law.
Implied Oral Contracts
Implied oral employment contracts are more complicated than written or oral ones since they are not technically documented and might include written, oral, and action terms.
Implied oral contracts are rarely a problem until a dispute arises between the employee and the employer, long after the employment relationship has ended. The common issues for this type of contract are the termination policies and assurance of job security.
Conclusion
Companies must follow the development and changes of labor rules and be knowledgeable about the existing ones. Your duty as an employee is to ensure that you know the worker’s rights and labor laws to which you are entitled. By doing so, you can bring up problems in the workplace before they become major concerns.
