Employment Law

Employment law is the collection of laws and rules that regulate relationships between employers and employees. Employment laws say when an employer can hire employees and when the employees can work. The laws cover what an employer must pay the employee for their work. They create minimum requirements for working conditions for employees.

 Employment law is the area of law that governs the employer-employee relationship. Therefore, if the business has more than one employee, then the business likely uses employment law. This area is made up of both state and federal laws and includes many different subjects with the common goal to protect workers’ rights. For employees, these laws work to:

• Prevent discrimination
• Promote health and safety
• Establish a minimum required level for economic support
• Prevent work disruption due to disputes between labor and management

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Usually, the key is simply recognizing when employment law is an issue. This can be difficult because the subject is truly vast. Employment law includes such things as:

• Worker’s compensation
• Employment discrimination
• Labor relations
• Family and medical leave
• Immigration
• Employee benefits
• Social Security
• Wrongful termination
• Occupational safety and health
• ERISA
• Minimum wage

For most business owners, it’s just not possible to comfortably know enough about employment law. Instead, a savvy business owner will recognize when employment law covers a subject so that he or she can seek the help of an attorney. I found this out the hard way!

I own a small business. It’s a pet grooming business, called Barks and Bubbles. I only have a few employees. I try to be flexible with them because I think it’s easier for them, and I’m trying to be nice. It’s also easier for me because my employees are happy, they like me, and I have less paperwork. But, I recently had a meeting with my attorney, and I learned that I’m doing several things wrong! I didn’t realize these were employment law issues at all, and I didn’t realize the intricacy of these issues.

For example, when I set up my business, I decided that I wouldn’t keep track of my employees’ hours. I thought it would be easier for me to pay all of my employees a set salary, so that I don’t have to keep time sheets. This means that all of my employees are exempt employees. I didn’t realize that this is a special legal classification.