As a Human Resources Manager, you make many decisions every day that can impact who is hired, how they’re trained, what benefits they receive, and how personnel issues are handled. But to make fair and equitable decisions, you need to know and understand the laws and regulations that govern employment and workplace safety. This legal knowledge helps you protect your employees from workplace accidents and wrongful actions such as discrimination and harassment. And when you protect your employees, you also safeguard your organization from liability and risk. 

1. Workplace Safety Laws 

Your most important role as an HR Manager is to protect your employees. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), you must provide safe working conditions for employees in every type of workplace, from offices to construction sites. OSHA protects employees and requires you to provide information and training on workplace safety. It also allows them the ability to file confidential grievances with OSHA if they believe there are unsafe conditions. 

In conjunction with OSHA guidelines, you will also need to understand worker’s compensation laws. Administered by individual states, workmen’s comp laws govern disability pay for employees who are injured on the job. Employers are required to purchase insurance that will provide employees with a range of benefits if they become ill or injured because of their jobs. 

2. Hours and Wages Laws

You need to understand federal, state, and local laws that cover how your employees are compensated. The Fair Labor and Standards Act outlines employees’ rights, including minimum wage, overtime pay and exemptions, and hours worked. The FLSA also covers timekeeping records and child labor laws. Similar laws that you should know include: 

• Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (CWHSSA)—If you work for a government organization, you should be aware of this law, which sets standards for overtime pay for contracted government workers. 

• • Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act—This more recent act of legislation, signed by President Obama, requires organizations to keep records regarding pay decisions to ensure their practices are non-discriminatory. 

3. Discrimination Laws 

Discrimination can occur on the job or early in the application process. The demographic information of a job candidate cannot be used to eliminate their candidacy. It’s against the law! Discrimination laws were designed to ensure that all candidates receive fair and equal treatment regardless of their race, religion, gender, age, country of origin, or disability. Here are a few key discrimination laws you should be familiar with: 

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)—This law prevents discrimination by age of any person over 40. 
• Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) —The act protects persons with disabilities and ensures employers provide reasonable accommodations for them. 
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—Title VII established the Commission on Equal Opportunity Employment and outlines unfair employment practices. 
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act—This amendment to Title VII prevents discrimination against pregnant women. 
• Health Insurance Portability and Protection Act (HIPAA)—If you work in healthcare, you may already be familiar with these laws, which prevent discrimination based on medical conditions and protects the privacy of medical information. 

4. Harassment Laws and Policies 

Some of the above laws, including Title VII and ADA, also prohibit harassment. This includes sexual harassment as well as the harassment of employees who testify or partake in a workplace investigation, or who oppose an organization’s policies that they believe are discriminatory. Your organization may have its own policies prohibiting harassment or offer training on how to handle complaints of this nature. Take the time to fully learn these policies. The more you know about harassment, the more steps you can take to prevent it before it happens. 

5. Fraternization Rules 

While personal relationships can build camaraderie, they can also create distractions and biases. If they go awry, they can cause disruptions and risks in the workplace. There are no federal laws against dating in the workplace or having personal relationships with co-workers. However, many companies have strict policies against fraternization. Others only require employees to disclose relationships. Your job as an HR Manager is to make sure everyone knows the rules and adheres to them. 

6. Employee Benefits Regulations

Employees also have rights to benefits. You may already be familiar with the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, which was designed to extend healthcare to uninsured Americans. But you should also be familiar with these laws: 

• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA)—This act extends healthcare coverage for employees and their families for a limited period when they are between jobs. 
• Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)—Sets standards for retirement and health plans for private organizations. 
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)—This law entitles employees to unpaid medical leave for certain conditions including pregnancy and caring for an ill service member. 

With knowledge of these rules and regulations, you will be a better HR leader. Ready to take the next step in your HR career? Contact Claremont Lincoln University today. We offer affordable, online master’s degrees in Human Resources Management and  Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Human Resources. Both programs can be completed entirely online in as few as 13 months, and you don’t need a GRE/GMAT score to apply. Call 909-667-4400 or email info@claremontlincoln.edu to learn more.