Labor Lawyers: An Introduction to Labor Laws

Labor laws explain the obligations of business employers or owners to their employees. Following the historical labor movement, the federal and state government in combination formed laws which protect worker's rights, enhance worker safety, and stop child labor while increasing workers' bargaining power with the owners by the formation of the labor union. While labor laws might seem like a bureaucratic hazard for your business, in essence, these laws facilitate keeping your employees safe, healthy, and happy. Notably, satisfied employees are more likely to increase your business productivity.

The basic part of labor laws clarifies workers as follows:

Independent contractors: individuals who work for themselves or who control the method and timing of their working hours. As they are not under labor laws, employers also don’t have any obligation to them.

The Fair Labor Standards Act prevents employers from inappropriately classifying their employees as independent contractors with an intention to stop them from their legitimate earning in terms of their wages, overtime, bonus, and other standard benefits.

According to labor lawyers, this prohibition ascertains that employees are not burdened with taxes that are paid by employers into worker's compensation insurance where it’s required and that all workers are eligible for minimum wage.

Labor Law and Wages

The FLSA has established the federal minimum wage @ $7.25 per hour as of 2018. Employers can’t pay their employees less than this standard hourly wage; however, employees under their 20’s can be paid the youth minimum standard wage @ $4.25 per hour in course of their first 90 days of employment. The federal minimum wage law can also provide guidance concerning the method of paying your employees; and senior workers who earn more than minimum wage. If you suspect that you’re paid less than minimum wage, immediately get in touch with labor lawyers for necessary guidance and action.

Protections and Laws

Some labor laws offer needed protections that guard employees’ interest in having unfair treatment as well as insecure working conditions. For example, if you work in a certain hazardous industry like coal mining or construction, you'll be subject to extra regulations, violation of which can make an employer fully responsible, and oversight will attract hefty penalty with punishment.

Labor's Whistleblower Protection plan prohibits employers from retaliating against an employee who reports concerning workplace safety issues or other legal violations and equally bars owners from terminating employees who can take legal action against them with labor lawyers or file a complaint with any state or federal government agencies.

Reasonable Hours and Compensation

Before the FLSA, employers often forced employees to work for extended hours while paying little compensation. However, further under FLSA directives, most workers who work over 40 hours should be compensated at time-and-a-half. Employers need to keep records of employee hours and should have a steady and reliable method of tracking when as well as the duration of their working hours.

Child Protection from the Workforce

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act also prohibits employers from engaging children under the aging of 14, unless they work typically in a parent's business. The law equally administers the duration of hours children among ages 14 and 16 can work. It also prohibits occupying all children form dangerous occupations under 18. By studying the documentation formulated by FLSA can help you avoid conflict with child labor laws.Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. is one of the leading law firms in Los Angeles, CA specializing in practice areas such as personal injury, employment law, age discrimination, constructive discharge, disability discrimination, emotional distress, family medical leave, meal and rest breaks, minimum wage, overtime, paid sick time off, retaliation, sexual harassment, tips tipped employees, whistleblower, wrongful termination, slip and fall, car, motorcycle, and truck accidents, wrongful death, etc. To know more, visit https://www.akopyanlaw.com/attorneys/.

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