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Employment Law Guide

Employment Law Guide:
Laws, Regulations, and Technical Assistance Services

Prepared by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy

This Guide describes the major statutes and regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) that affect businesses and workers. The Guide is designed mainly for those needing "hands-on" information to develop wage, benefit, safety and health, and nondiscrimination policies for businesses.

Statutory and regulatory changes will occur over time, which may affect the information in this Guide.  For the latest information on all laws check this site periodically.

 

Table of contents

Updated: December 2016

Preface

Overview

 

I.   Wages and Hours Worked

 

II.  Safety and Health Standards

 

III.  Health Benefits, Retirement Standards, and Workers' Compensation

 

IV.  Other Workplace Standards

 

V.  Work Authorization for non-U.S. citizens

 

VI.  Federal Contracts:  Working Conditions

 

VII.  Federal Contracts:  Equal Opportunity in Employment

 

INDEX OF LAWS OF PARTICULAR APPLICABILITY TO AN INDUSTRY

Agriculture

Note: Under the authority of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA has issued a number of safety standards that address such matters as field sanitation, overhead protection for operators of agricultural tractors, grain handling facilities, and guarding of farm field equipment and cotton gins. Contact the local OSHA office(http://www.osha.gov/html/RAmap.html) for more detail (1-800-321-OSHA).

 

Mining

 

Construction

Note: Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA sets and enforces construction safety and health standards. Contact the local OSHA office (http://www.osha.gov/html/RAmap.html) for more information (1-800-321-OSHA).