Labor Laws

Are you looking for more information on labor laws? If so, you have come to the right place. Throughout this article we will discuss what labor laws are, as well as discuss the different individual laws included within labor law.

Let’s begin by discussing what these types of laws are. Labor laws are a set of legal rules that address the rights and restrictions of working individuals and their organizations. They are divided into two categories; collective and individual. Let’s take a look at each of these categories in more detail.

Collective laws refer to those labor laws that regulate the relationship between employee, employer, and unions. Within collective labor laws, there are 5 sub-categories. These include laws on trade unions, strikes, pickets, and workplace involvement. Trade unions laws, required in some countries, require unions to follow particular procedures before taking specified actions. Strike laws are laws that indicate when a strike is legal and when a strike is not legal. Picketing, a tactic used during strikes to make a the presence of strikers known, also has several legal guidelines that must be followed. Workplace involvement refers to the idea that employers must consult their workers if any issues should arise within the company.

Individual labor laws refer to the rights that employees have at work. These laws include things such as contract of employment, minimum wage, working time, health and safety, anti-discrimination, and unfair dismissal. Let’s take a brief look at each of these in more detail.

Laws concerning contracts of employment refer to the rights and obligations, of both the employer and employee, as set out in a contract of employment between the two. The employer may, for example, state within the contract that they can terminate an employee for any reason (as long it is a legal reason) without any legal actions being taken against them. Minimum wage, or the minimum amount that a worker can be paid per hour, is another labor law. These particular laws will differ for each country and state.

Another law that differs from state to state is working time laws. These laws define how long a company can legally require their employees to work each day. Some states, for example, have a limit of 12 hours, where others have a limit of 16.

Health and safety, anti-discrimination, and unfair dismissal laws, all protect the rights of employees. Health and safety ensure that employees are informed of, and follow, all health and safety procedures to protect them during working hours. Anti-discrimination laws protect individuals from being discriminated against within their workplace, and unfair dismissal laws prevent individuals from being dismissed on illegitimate grounds.

Labor laws, both collective and individual, are enacted to protect employers and employees in their place of work. If you have any questions or concerns regarding labor laws within your workplace, speak to your employer. If you feel that a law has been violated, it is suggested that you contact an attorney immediately to determine if you have a legal case. For more information on these types of laws, contact your employer or conduct an internet search.