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

• Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay - Fair Labor Standards Act
• Wage Garnishment - Consumer Credit Protection Act
• Worker Protections in Agriculture - Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act
• Child Labor Protections (Nonagricultural Work) - Fair Labor Standards Act - Child Labor Provisions
• Child Labor Protections (Agricultural Work) - Fair Labor Standards Act - Child Labor Provisions
• Workers with Disabilities for the Work Being Performed - Fair Labor Standards Act - Section 14(c)

II.  Safety and Health Standards

• Occupational Safety and Health - Occupational Safety and Health Act
• Mine Safety and Health - Mine Safety and Health Act
• Worker Protections in Agriculture - Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act
• Child Labor Protections (Nonagricultural Work) - Fair Labor Standards Act - Child Labor Provisions
• Child Labor Protections (Agricultural Work) - Fair Labor Standards Act - Child Labor Provisions

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

• Employee Benefit Plans - Employee Retirement Income Security Act
• Black Lung Compensation - Black Lung Benefits Act
• Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation - Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act
• Defense Base Compensation - Defense Base Act
• Family and Medical Leave - Family and Medical Leave Act

IV.  Other Workplace Standards

• Lie Detector Tests - Employee Polygraph Protection Act
• Whistleblower and Retaliation Protections - Occupational Safety and Health Act, Surface Transportation Assistance Act     and Other Statutes
• Notices for Plant Closings and Mass Layoffs - Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
• Union Officer Elections and Financial Controls - Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act
• Reemployment and Nondiscrimination Rights for Uniformed Services Members - Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act

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

• General Information on Immigration, Including I-9 Forms - Immigration and Nationality Act
• Temporary Agricultural Workers (H-2A Visas) - Immigration and Nationality Act - H-2A
• Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers (H-2B Visas) - Immigration and Nationality Act - H-2B
• Workers in Professional and Specialty Occupations (H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 Visas) - Immigration and Nationality Act - H-1B, H-1B1, E-3
• Workers Seeking Permanent Employment in the United States - Immigration and Nationality Act
• Crewmembers (D-1 Visas) - Immigration and Nationality Act - D-1
• Registered Nurses (H-1C Visas) - Immigration and Nationality Act - H1-C

VI.  Federal Contracts:  Working Conditions

• Wages in Supply & Equipment Contracts - Walsh-Healy Public Contracts Act
• Prevailing Wages in Service Contracts - McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act
• Prevailing Wages in Construction Contracts - Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
• Hours and Safety Standards in Construction Contracts - Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act
• Prohibition Against "Kickbacks" in Federally Funded - Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act

VII.  Federal Contracts:  Equal Opportunity in Employment

• Employment Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity in Supply & Service Contracts - Executive Order 11246 - Supply and Service
• Employment Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity in Construction Contracts - Executive Order 11246 - Construction Contracts
• Employment Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity for Qualified Individuals with Disabilities - The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Employment Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity for Covered Veterans - The Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act

INDEX OF LAWS OF PARTICULAR APPLICABILITY TO AN INDUSTRY

Agriculture

• Worker Protections in Agriculture - Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act
• Child Labor Protections (Agricultural Work) - Fair Labor Standards Act - Child Labor Provisions
• Temporary Agricultural Workers (H-2A Visas) - Immigration and Nationality Act - H-2A

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

• Mine Safety and Health - Mine Safety and Health Act
• Black Lung Compensation - Black Lung Benefits Act

Construction

• Prevailing Wages in Construction Contracts - Davis-Bacon and Related Acts
• Hours and Safety Standards in Construction Contracts - Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act
• Prohibition Against "Kickbacks" in Federally Funded Construction - Copeland "Anti-Kickback" Act
• Employment Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity in Construction Contracts - Executive Order 11246 - Construction Contracts

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).