Decades ago, employees were at the mercy of their employers when it came to benefits, workplace safety and even hiring and promotions. However, the awareness regarding employee rights gained strength towards the 20^th century when important laws were formulated regarding employee safety and protection at the workplace. These federal employee protection laws are supervised by the Department of Labor and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission till today.

If you wish to have no violations against your rights as an employee, here are the 5 federal employee protection laws you need to know now:

1.     The Minimum Wage Law

According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, employees must be paid a minimum wage for the work they perform. Since 2009, employers belonging to public and private sectors have been paying its employees around $7.25 per hour. However, legislations have tried to increase this amount. Moreover, this act assures that non-exempt workers also receive time-and-a-half for any overtime job they perform.

This law also provides a special kind of protection to minors (below age 16). Minors working at non-agricultural positions can work for a limited number of hours. FLSA prohibits businesses from hiring employees below the age of 18 for jobs with a high level of risk.

2.     Workplace Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) that was introduced in 1970 did a lot to ensure employees’ safety at the workplace. OSHA introduced a number of safety provisions including specific guidelines for maritime, constructional and agricultural industry. According to OSHA’s General Duty Clause, a workplace practice shall stand prohibited if it indicates a clear risk to workers.

3.     Health Coverage           

This law, ‘Affordable Care Act’, was passed back in 2010, assuring workers working in medium-large businesses of their health insurance rights. According to the provision ‘Employer Shared Responsibility Payment’, companies that have 50 or more employees shall provide its workers with a minimum level of health insurance (or pay a generous penalty). Moreover, for an employee to qualify for the status of a full-time employee, he/she must work for a minimum of 30 hours a week.

4.     Social Security

In 1935, the President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into a law. This law provided the disabled and retired Americans with a financial safety net. According to statistics, today, as much as 59 million people receive social security checks on a monthly basis. On average, the amount retirees receive is $12,974 and the amount disabled citizens receive is $1,146. In accordance with this benefit, both, employers and employees contribute a certain percentage of the employee’s earnings, maximum to an annual amount.

5.     Unemployment Benefits

Despite the fact that each state has its own unemployment insurance agency, the benefits for the jobless are provided through a joint federal-state program. This means that while the state manages the payments to be made, they must abide by certain guidelines established by the federal government. In order to qualify for unemployment benefits, individuals must be unemployed for reasons beyond their control, for example, firing and layoff. The unemployment system in the U.S. ensures that individuals have at least a few months of security when they leave the workforce for a temporary time period.

Looking for an employee benefits lawyer in Orange County, CA? Turn to Hardin & Associates, the best employment lawyers with a mission to fight for the rights of employees in Orange County. Visit their website http://www.hardinemploymentlaw.com/ to know more about their areas of practice.