Employment law keeps a working environment safe, for both the owners and employees of an organization. Large and medium-sized companies have human resources that help the company stay abreast of situations where they would need to consult knowledge regarding employment laws.

The Civil Rights movement helped birth the employment laws that you see in the workplace today. Good websites to use to seek further information regarding employment laws within the United States include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the department of labor. EEOC, an organization that oversees employment law,  provides readers with a great deal of information for both the employer and employee to read on their website. The Department of Labor’s website, dol.gov, also shares a wealth of information.

Non-union companies have employee handbooks that they hand out during the worker’s orientation. The rules inside the handbook should cover employment law that aligns with the company issuing the  rulebook and how employer will strive to stay in compliance with the laws stated within the text. The company must apply the same rules to everyone that works for them. From top-level executives to mailroom clerks.

Employees should feel safe and comfortable discussing anything covered within the handbook to managers and executives. Otherwise, unions tend to form that work for the right of the company’s workers. Plenty of federal laws, with companies staying in compliance with them, reduce the need for unions and have since the Civil Right Movement.

Companies not in compliance with today’s laws will find themselves in trouble through lawsuits, fines and penalties. These laws include:

Family Medical Leave Act, regulated by the Department of Labor, Wage, Hour and Division, passed a  law that states that employers must give their employee up to 12 months of unpaid time off. The employee will still have the same job after he gets back. Reasons that the company will recognize as important for you to be away include birth of a child and serious illness. Employees can have up to 12 weeks off if the family member is enlisted in the military.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also referred to as HIPPA, is administered by the Department of Health and Human Resources. This act states that the employer needs to keep the employee’s health information private. The employer must understand that “being ill” is a good enough reason to obtain time off for a medical emergency.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act, also known as IRCA, states that while immigrants can seek employment in the United States, they must show proper identification, such as filling out an Employment Verification Form. Companies that fail to stay in compliance with this act can see a fine of up to $10,000 in their future.

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act states that women shouldn’t face discrimination relating to their pregnancy, childbirth or other conditions associated with motherhood. They must be treated with the same respect as others with a similar limitation.