Difference between Employment Law and Labor Law

by Jewellan Sing NY Attorney

It is common for people to feel puzzled when it’s about differentiating employment and labor laws. While both the laws revolve around solving and improving the employment arena, both are separate in terms of addressing different types of issues. Employment lawyers specialize in these laws and help to understand the legal issues and rights to the employers and employee.

The fact is both the terms are widely used interchangeably but there are certain distinctions in between. They are fairly inclined on issues regarding the safe and equitable running of a workplace. A labor and employment law firm may help you understand the local laws, standards, and regulations regarding your business operations.

Labor Law

There can different types of labor laws in different states. Labor laws mostly established to address the relationship between the management of a company or employer and unionized workers. Around 10.7% of workers are members of a union in the United States. They come under federal or state labor legislation and collective bargaining agreements between their trade unions and employers. In some states in the US, there is a “right-to-work” provision that has been inflicted which means employers are prohibited from rejecting work-opportunity to non-union aspirants. And in some states, these laws are not in place and so workers are inevitably required enrolling for union membership in order to enable negotiation between employers and their union. For information regarding the latest laws in your specific state, you should contact employment lawyers New York.

The main purpose of labor laws is to govern the relationship between companies and unions. Unions are regulated by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is an independent federal agency that is responsible to prevent unfair labor practices. A labor and employment law firm can represent unions as well as company management in disputes before NLRB.

Employment Law

While labor laws mainly focus on the relationship between unions and employers, employment law focuses on the relationship between individual employees and their employers. There can be several occasions when an employee needs help from a lawyer such as wrongful termination. There are many legal professionals who preliminary recognized as wrongful termination lawyers NYC. These types of lawyers deal with the terms, conditions, and agreements entered into between these two parties in employment contracts. Here are some common examples of issues, employment attorneys handle on behalf of employer or employee:

· Wage and hour violations involving the minimum wage, vacation and sick pay and overtime pay

· Discrimination based on protected characteristics

· Workplace harassment

· Hiring and layoffs

· Employee privacy

· Whistleblower laws

· Representation before relevant agencies

· Retaliation

· Occupational health and safety

If you have an issue with your employer or maybe you’re an employer having been challenged one by union/employee through a lawsuit, it is important to take the help of a labor and employment law firm NYC for obtaining an appropriate resolution of your issue.