2. Federal and State labor laws mandate employers to abide by
certain standards like paying minimum wages, ensuring
workplace safety, barring discrimination based on gender, age,
religion, etc.
In this article, we will discuss some major federal and state labor
laws that employers need to obey.
3. Federal labor laws
OSHA– Occupational Safety and Health Act
Under OSHAct rules, employers are required to provide a safe
and healthful workplace.
Employers must comply with all the standards prescribed under
the law and display the OSHAct posters which may include the
Choking Safety Poster, Code of Safe Practices poster, Clean Up
Spills poster, Cold Stress Poster, CPR Poster, Drug Free Poster,
Electrical Safety Clean Up Tips Poster, Fire Extinguisher Poster
and so on. The type of work environment determines which
posters must be displayed.
4. FMLA– Family and Medical LeaveAct
• Under the FMLA, eligible employees of employers covered
under the law are entitled to take unpaid, job-protected leave for
specified family and medical reasons.
All covered employers must display the FMLAposter made by
the Department of Labor.
The poster also describes enforcement guidelines and how to
obtain additional information.
5. EPPA- Employee Polygraph Protection Act
The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 (EPPA)
prohibits employers from using lie detector tests, either for pre-
employment screening or during the course of employment,
with limited exemptions.
All covered employers must post EPPAposters as decided by
the Secretary of Labor.
Employers must display EPPAposters titled “Employee Rights”
in a prominent and conspicuous place in every workplace.
6. EEOC – Equal Employment Opportunity
• Equal employment opportunity laws prohibit discrimination
on the basis of age, sex, religion, national origin, race, color,
disability or genetic information in workplace.
• The "EEO is the Law" poster gives a summary of the equal
opportunity laws and describes how employees or job applicants
can file a complaint of employment discrimination.
7. USERRA– Uniformed Services Employment and
Reemployment RightsAct
USERRAprotects civilian job rights and benefits for veterans
and active members of the armed forces.
All employers must post the USERRAposter entitled “Your
Rights under USERRA” furnishing employees’rights and
remedial measures under theAct.
8. FLSA– Fair Labor StandardsAct (Federal Minimum
Wage/Overtime)
• The FLSAestablishes the federal minimum wage, overtime
pay, youth employment standards and record keeping associated
with employees in the private sector and local, State and Federal
governments. Covered non-exempt workers must receive at
least the minimum wage and overtime as required.
• Employers who have employees must post the FLSAnotice.
The notice explains theAct and should be placed in locations in
the workplace to enable employees to readily read it. The
content of the notice is prepared by Wage and Hour Division of
the Department of Labor.
9. State Labor Laws
Employers need to display state labor laws as well. Below are
some important state labor laws.
Job safety and health protection
• If the employer is covered under an OSHAapproved state
plan, the employer must display the state version of the OSHA
poster. Also, employers must display posters prescribed by the
state department of labor and industry.
10. Child Labor Laws
Employers who employ minors must display the proper child
labor law posters as required by the laws.
The laws prohibit employers from employing minors in
hazardous jobs and occupations that have been declared as
hazardous or harmful to the health/well-being of children
aged14-17 years.
Employers must display child labor posters specifying the rights
of minors as mandated by the state government. They should be
placed in conspicuous places where employees can readily see
them.
11. State Minimum Wage
Posters furnishing the minimum wage, overtime rate, credit
granted (with respect to meals boarding, etc.) in the state must
be displaced by employers under the scope of state
governments.
Unemployment insurance
• Unemployment insurance laws are administered by respective
state government bodies. These laws entitle eligible job seekers
temporary income for a specific period that differs from state to
state.
12. Workers' Compensation
Workers' compensation mandates employers to partly
compensate for the loss of income and medical expenses
incurred by an employee in the event of job related injuries.
Whether the employer comes under the scope of either Federal
or State government labor laws, compliance with those laws is
mandatory. The points discussed in this article can help get
guidance in this regard.
13. Labor Law Center provides labor law poster service &
compliance solutions to businesses, across the United States
since 1999. Federal labor law posters at Laborlawcenter.com
make it easy for the businesses to stay compliant with the latest
labor laws and regulations. If you're looking for quality labor
law poster service, Laborlawcenter.com might be the right
option.
