Human Resources Laws & Regulations

Employment practices of organizations in the United States are regulated at federal and state levels. The human resource process is impacted by regulatory requirements in the workplace. Legal and social regulations are crucial when managing the workforce or future supplies for labor in the workplace.

Many of us have worked in job environment that were less than ideal and probably thought about quitting our jobs on a daily basis. Do you ever wonder what it was like before the laws were written and implemented that prevented your boss from discriminating against you and other coworkers? Well I can without a doubt say that I would not have want a job before the 1964 Congress enacted the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Employment Law helps to govern the relationships between the employee and the employer with relations to guidelines.

You need to know about laws that you and your employer have to follow. If you do not follow these laws you and your employer may end up in serious trouble. Therefore knowing about the law will protect your personal safety, your job and your employers business.

In 1943 Congress introduced the very first equal employment bill but it failed to pass both houses. Congress for the next twenty years introduced equal employment bills but they were either kicked by committee or died under the threat of Senate filibusters. The failure of these bills were no surprise given the history of discrimination in this country but what was a surprise was the success of the equal employment provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that protects individuals from discrimination based on religion. Religious discrimination is treating a person differently because of their religious

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects people from being discriminated against due to who they are and what they look like this includes skin color, religious preference, where they come from and sex of the person. Title VII was amended to include the protection of pregnant women.

Although great strides in fighting gender discrimination were taken in the 1970s, largely due to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, abuses falling within the category of sexual harassment generally were not addressed. Finally, in 1980, the EEOC wrote and released guidelines that defined sexual harassment. They described it as one form of sex discrimination prohibited by the 1964 act. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 referred to as Title VII, prohibits employment discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin in addition to sexual harassment. The law specifically states;

In contrast to workers’ compensation, OSHA does not provide payment to injured workers. However, OSHA implements safety policies and standards by company inspections, citations, and fines. In addition, OSHA mandates employers to educate and train employees regarding the specific dangerous substance regulation called the Hazard Communication Standard

Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Laws-The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces all of these laws. EEOC also provides oversight and coordination of all federal equal employment opportunity regulations, practices, and policies (2009).

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, EEOC laws are enforced. EEOC laws give citizens the ability to find a job without being discriminated upon race, religion, origin, or sex. There are many laws that have stemmed from this Civil Rights Act. I think that these laws have established a well-rounded society.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws have helped shape the workforce today and they have greatly contributed to the introduction of diversity in the working environment. No longer are people rejected of employment based on their race, gender, age, or disability. The labor force has increased from 62 million people in 1950 to over 159 million people in the labor force today (Toolsi). The passing of the EEO laws proved to be a great advancement in the diversity of the workforce and treatment of employees, but it was a tremendous battle to get where we are today. Before the passing of these laws, unequal treatment was normal and discrimination was common among the majority of employers. This made acquiring employment difficult and caused many people to be unemployed. Three Equal Employment Opportunity laws that helped diminish these discriminatory practices were Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990. For each law, I will describe what it enforces and explain the actions that happened in society and the workplace that made these laws necessary. I will discuss important political figures that contributed to the passing of these laws. Lastly, I will examine how each law has improved human resources and has led to better management of employees overall.

Throughout the years the United States has faced many challenges with equal employment opportunities for everyone. The United States has developed The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, also known as the EEOC, to enforce laws that help prevent everyone from being treated unfairly when it comes to employment options. The EEOC has established stipulations and overlooks all of the federal equal employment opportunity regulations, practices and policies (“Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination Questions and Answers”). Some laws that have been passed are the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. Although some discrimination is still a problem, all of these

Employment or labor laws have been developed to facilitate smooth relationship between employers and employees. Employment laws provide rules and regulations that should govern both the employer and the employees in their places of work. Employment laws discuss issues related to child labor, wages and salaries, retirement, working conditions, compensations, incentives and employment benefits among others. The major objective is to ensure the employer does not exploit the employee and on the other hand, the employee honors the terms and conditions of the job as presented by the employer.

The purpose of Employment Law is to provide legal protection to employees and employers. Employment Law is set up to ensure legal guidelines and standards are met with recruiting, working standards, pay and allowances and the disciplinary process. It is also aimed at protecting a person’s Equality and Human Rights such as