The laws are listed in chronological order.
Law | Year | Description | Chapter(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Workers’ Compensation Laws | Various | State-by-state laws that establish insurance plans to compensate employees injured on the job | 12, 15, 16 |
Social Security Act | 1935 | Payroll tax to fund retirement benefits, disability and unemployment insurance | 12 |
Wagner Act | 1935 | Legitimized labor unions and established the National Labor Relations Board | 14, 15 |
Fair Labor Standards Act | 1938 | Established minimum wage and overtime pay | 10, 15 |
Taft-Hartley Act | 1947 | Provided some protections for employers and limited union power; permitted states to enact right-to-work laws | 15 |
Landrum-Griffin Act | 1959 | Protects union members’ right to participate in union affairs | 15 |
Equal Pay Act | 1963 | Prohibits unequal pay for same job | 3, 10 |
Title VII of Civil Rights Act | 1964 | Prohibits employment decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin | 3, 4, 5, 7, 14, 16, 17 |
Executive Order 11246 | 1965 | Same as Title VII; also requires affirmative action | 3 |
Age Discrimination in Employment Act | 1967 | Prohibits employment decisions based on age when person is 40 or older | 3, 5 |
Occupational Safety and Health Act | 1970 | Establishes safety and health standards for organizations to protect employees | 14, 16 |
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) | 1974 | Regulates the financial stability of employee benefit and pension plans | 12 |
Vietnam-Era Veterans Readjustment Act | 1974 | Prohibits federal contractors from discriminating against Vietnam-era veterans and encourages affirmative action plans to hire Vietnam veterans | 3 |
Pregnancy Discrimination Act | 1978 | Prohibits employers from discriminating against pregnant women | 3, 16 |
Job Training Partnership Act | 1982 | Provides block money grants to states, which pass them on to local governments and private entities that provide on-the-job training | 8 |
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) | 1985 | Requires continued health insurance coverage (paid by employee) following termination | 12 |
Immigration Reform and Control Act | 1986 | Prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status; employers required to document employees’ legal work status | 3, 17 |
Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (WARN) | 1988 | Employers required to notify workers of impending layoffs | 6 |
Drug-Free Workplace Act | 1988 | Covered employers must implement certain policies to restrict employee drug use | 3, 16 |
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) | 1990 | Prohibits discrimination based on disability | 3, 4, 5, 14, 16 |
Civil Rights Act | 1991 | Amends Title VII; prohibits quotas, allows for monetary punitive damages | 3, 5 |
Family and Medical Leave Act | 1993 | Employers must provide unpaid leave for childbirth, adoption, illness | 12, 15 |
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act | 1994 | Employers must not discriminate against individuals who take leave from work to fulfill military service obligations | 3 |
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act | 1996 | Employees are allowed to transfer their coverage of existing illnesses to new employer’s insurance plan | 12 |
Pension Protection Act | 2006 | Employees are given greater flexibility to diversify out of company stock in their 401(k) plan | 12 |
ADA Amendments Act | 2008 | Broadens coverage of ADA to more people | 3 |
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | 2010 | Extends health care coverage to more people and makes it more affordable | 12 |
Byrnes Anti-Strikebreaking Act—Chapter 15
Coal Mine Health and Safety Act—Chapter 16
Employee Polygraph Protection Act—Chapter 5
Immigration Act of 1990—Chapter 3
Norris-LaGuardia Act— Chapter 15
Older Workers Protection Act of 1990—Chapter 3
Railway Labor Act—Chapter 15