Workplace laws
Federal laws require employers to act fairly and protect the health of employees. Review this chart for an overview of the most common laws.
The Department of Labor provides more in-depth explanations of labor laws.
Federal labor laws
Information about |
Labor law or act |
Protections |
Agency |
---|---|---|---|
Age discrimination |
Protects employees and applicants over 40 from discrimination based on age |
||
Disability discrimination |
Prohibits discrimination against workers with disabilities. It requires employers to make reasonable accommodations |
||
Equal pay between men and women |
Requires men and women in the same position to receive equal pay for equal work |
||
Discrimination or harassment based on race, color, sex, age, nationality, genetic information, retaliation for reporting discrimination or harassment |
Prohibits discrimination or harassment based on personal characteristics |
||
Leave to care for family members or for medical leave |
Allows eligible employees to take unpaid leave to care for family or personal medical reasons. Protects their job and health benefits |
||
Minimum wage, overtime, child labor |
Establishes a minimum wage, requires employers to pay overtime, regulates child labor conditions |
||
Workplace safety, retaliation for whistleblowing |
Requires you to work in a safe workplace |
||
Migrant and seasonal agricultural workers | Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA) | Gives migrant workers rights and resources regardless of immigration status | Department of Labor |
State labor laws
Each state sets laws related to fair employment and workplace safety. In most cases, state laws offer more protections than the federal ones.
Contact your state department of labor to learn about the labor laws in your state. If you live and work in different states, or work remotely in a different state from your employer, check the laws in both states.
LAST UPDATED: December 11, 2023
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