Human Resources Law


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Human Resources Law



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Human Resources (HR) Law is a subset of Labor and Employment law and encompasses the various laws and regulations HR professionals must contend with in the majority of their work functions, predominantly in overseeing and managing duties related to hiring; firing; benefits; wages, paychecks and overtime; workplace safety; workplace privacy; and preventing discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

Local, state and federal employment laws govern human resources, and HR professionals must be well versed in many different employment and labor laws in order to effectively and lawfully deal with company personnel. Some of the areas HR Managers need to be informed about include the following:

• Employee Handbooks/Manuals and Policies and Procedures;
• Affirmative Action Programs and Policies;
• Government Contract Wage Law;
• Human Resources Compliance Audits;
• Non-competition and confidentiality agreements;
• Plant Closing Law
• Substance Abuse and Drug Testing Law and Policies; and
• Unemployment Compensation.

To consult Employment and Labor laws and regulations in your State visit our Department of Labor by State page. Visit us at Google+ Copyright HG.org

Human Resources Law - US

  • ABA - Section of Labor and Employment Law

    The Section of Labor and Employment Law is your link to information that matters to you. Our 22,000+ members represent all perspectives of labor and employment law: employer, union, employee, public, and neutral. All are committed to a balanced discussion of employment issues in the United States and abroad.

  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

    The Fair Labor Standards Act is a federal statute of the United States. It applies to employees engaged in interstate commerce or employed by an enterprise engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, unless the employer can claim an exemption from coverage. The FLSA established a national minimum wage, guaranteed 'time-and-a-half' for overtime in certain jobs, and prohibited most employment of minors in "oppressive child labor," a term that is defined in the statute

  • Human Resources - Definition

    Human resources is a term used to describe the individuals who comprise the workforce of an organization, although it is also applied in labor economics to, for example, business sectors or even whole nations. Human resources is also the name of the function within an organization charged with the overall responsibility for implementing strategies and policies relating to the management of individuals (i.e. the human resources). This function title is often abbreviated to the initials 'HR'.

  • Labor Management Relations Act

    The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) is sometimes called the Wagner Act, after its principal sponsor, Senator Robert Wagner of New York. The NLRA was amended in 1947 by the Taft-Hartley Act. The NLRA as amended is known as the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA). In the United States Code, the Act begins at 29 U.S.C. §141.

  • United States Department of Labor

    Our Mission: To foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

Organizations Related to Human Resources Law

  • EEO Compliance and Operations Divisions (EEOCO)

    The goal of the EEO Compliance and Operations Division (EEOCO) is to ensure every HHS employee/applicant for employment has equal access to EEO services, timely resolution of their complaint and equitable remedy. EEOCO consists of two components: 1) EEO Compliance Team and 2) EEO Operations Team.

  • HHS - Office of Human Resources (OHR)

    The Office of Human Resources (OHR) provides leadership to the development and assessment of the Department's human resources program and policies. In coordination with the Operating Divisions (OPDIVs), OHR designs human resource programs that support and enhance the HHS mission. It provides technical assistance to the OPDIVs in building the capacity to evaluate the effectiveness of their human resource programs and policies.

  • HR Policy Association

    HR Policy Association is the lead public policy organization of chief human resource officers from large employers. The Association consists of over 300 of the largest corporations doing business in the United States and globally. These major employers are represented in the organization by their most senior human resource executive. Collectively, their companies employ more than 18 million employees worldwide and have a combined market capitalization of more than $7.5 trillion. These senior corporate officers participate in the Association because of their passionate interest in the direction of human resource policy.

  • Industrial Workers of the World

    Workers and their employers do not have the same interests. Workers want shorter hours, higher pay, and better benefits. The easiest way to stand up for each other in our workplaces and communities and the easiest way to improve our working conditions is to join a union.

  • Institute for Research on Labor and Employment

    The Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (formerly the Institute of Industrial Relations) has fully renovated its Library. The new Library Commons mirrors the “homey” feel of IRLE's historic landmark building, while advancing a new array of digital and traditional library services.

  • National Human Resources Association (NHRA)

    Established in 1951, the National Human Resources Association (NHRA) is focused on advancing the development and leadership of human resource professionals. Through professional programs and services offered across the country, we strive to support human resource professionals throughout their career life cycle - from intern to executive - as Human Resources leads the way for change in today's businesses

  • Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)

    The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 250,000 members in over 140 countries, the Society serves the needs of HR professionals and advances the interests of the HR profession. Founded in 1948, SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China and India.

Publications Related to Human Resources Law

  • Human Resource Management Guide (HRM)

    Managing people, human capital and culture - Human Resource Management (HRM) is critical for business success. HRM Guide publishes articles and news releases about HR surveys, employment law, human resource research, HR books and careers that bridge the gap between theory and practice.

  • Human Resources, Training, and Labor Relations Managers and Specialists

    Every organization wants to attract, motivate, and retain the most qualified employees and match them to jobs for which they are best suited. Human resources, training, and labor relations managers and specialists provide this connection. In the past, these workers performed the administrative function of an organization, such as handling employee benefits questions or recruiting, interviewing, and hiring new staff in accordance with policies established by top management. Today's human resources workers manage these tasks, but, increasingly, they consult with top executives regarding strategic planning. They have moved from behind-the-scenes staff work to leading the company in suggesting and changing policies.

Articles on HG.org Related to Human Resources Law

  • Holier Than Thou Redux: New Case Tests Limits of the Ministerial Exception
    Sometimes leaving the TV on for background noise can yield results. About 2 weeks ago, I caught a brief teaser for an upcoming story about a former Indiana Catholic school teacher, Emily Herx, who was fired by her diocese after they learned she was trying to have a baby. More specifically, after they learned she was trying to conceive using fertility treatments. Here’s what happened:
  • Employers’ Rocky Road to Justice - South Africa
    In most cases employment contracts are breached by employers giving rise to litigation by employees. In response to such breaches of contract, employees will seek a remedy of reinstatement or compensation. The quantum of damages claimed for by an employee is easy to determine as it will usually be based on the employee's salary. But can the employer sue the employee for damages resulting from breach of contract by the employee?
  • Myth Busting – Taking a Closer Look at Malta’s Working Time Regulations
    An outlook on the differences between night work, shift work and overtime in Malta employment law. The Employment and Industrial Relations Act (EIRA), Chapter 452 of the Laws of Malta, is Malta’s primary source of employment legislation. However, employees working in specific economic sectors are regulated by Wages Council Wage Regulation Orders.
  • ICE Storm Predicted - Arizona Employers Beware, I-9 Audits are on the Rise!
    ICE has stated that they intend to conduct 3,000 Form I-9 audits. Unsuspecting Arizona employers will receive a Notice of Inspection, giving them “at least three days” to produce the requested I-9 documents. Since 2008, I-9 audits have increased by more than 375%. Employers should not be fooled into thinking that the I-9 auditor is harmless.
  • Limitations on Credit Checks for Employment Purposes
    We are often requested by companies to conduct pre-employment background investigations. These investigations typically fall within the confines of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and California’s Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.
  • Rules of Investigation with Employees under Egyptian Law
    The Egyptian Labor Law No. 12/2003 regulates the rules of investigation with employees and imposing the disciplinary penalties.
  • Does Acquittal from Criminal Charges Give an Ex-employee Right to Reinstatement? - Ethiopia
    The mere fact that a certain employee was acquitted from a criminal charge brought against him in relation to his employment relation doesn’t give the employee the right to demand to return to work with payment of compensation.
  • When is a Worker a Deserter?
    Employers must prove employee’s intention to abscond. The Labor Court has recognized that the employee's general duty is to render a service to the employer, and that failure to discharge that duty could potentially lead to disciplinary action. If an employee is absent for several days from work without communicating his or her absence to the employer, the assumption is often made by the employer that the employee has absconded.
  • Don’t Fire that Employee for a Facebook Posting Just Yet
    Social media and social networking sites are everywhere. But what can employees post regarding their employer on these sites? Before your take disciplinary action know that depending on the nature of the posting, the employee may be engaging in what the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) considers “protected activity.”
  • Data Processing in Hungary: New Act and New Authority
    The Hungarian Parliament has recently adopted a new act arguing that the provisions of the current data protection are outdated. Although the applicable EU directive is under significant review in the EU, the new Hungarian act still follows the old (current) EU legislation. The new act is called Information Act), and maintains the rigid Hungarian system of data protection and misses the opportunity to help foreign data processing.
  • All Employment Law Articles

    Articles written by attorneys and experts worldwide discussing legal aspects related to Employment and Labor including: discrimination, employee benefits, employees rights, ERISA, human resources law, labor relations, outsourcing, sexual harassment, whistleblower, workers compensation and wrongful termination.

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