The U.S. Department of Labor announced on November 30, 2009 that it has updated its online Employment Law Guide (click on title to open link). This Guide discusses federal laws on wages and hours worked; safety and health standards; health benefits; retirement standards and worker’s compensation; lie detector tests; whistleblower and retaliation protections; plant closings and mass layoffs; union officer elections and financial controls; uniformed servicemember rights under USERRA; work authorization for non-U.S. citizens; and federal contracts, among other topics. The Employment Law Guide is a good starting point for identifying issues under Federal law, but keep in mind that if there is a state or local law that is more protective of employees, it will probably be applied, so state and local laws should be checked before deciding if an employer is in compliance with all applicable laws.
There is a related federal online tool called FirstStep Employment Law Advisor, which provides basic information about recordkeeping requirements, reporting, posters and other notices relating to federal employment laws.
This article is not legal advice, and should not be relied on for any purpose. It is a summary of a complex area of the law, which may have changed since this article was posted on December 4, 2009.
OMW Employment Law Blog 