Evolution of employment law and effects on the workplace

Write a 2-3 page summary of your research into laws that have impacted today\’s workplace.

Introduction

Employment law, or labor law, governs the interactions and duties between employees and employers. The purpose of these laws is to ensure that workers are safe and treated fairly. The laws also serve to protect employers\’ interests as well. Employment laws are primarily based on both federal and state constitutions and legislation.

Understanding employment law is extremely important for HR practitioners, all members of management, and employees as well. Employees should understand their rights in the workplace to ensure they are treated fairly; employers need to understand and abide by employment law guidelines to ensure that they promote a safe and fair workplace and to avoid employment-related legal action that can be very costly to the organization.

HR practitioners need to ensure the company operates within legal guidelines by monitoring programs and practices, and this assessment will help to strengthen your understanding of these topics.

A law cannot ensure that a behavior will change. Laws and behaviors are not fixed, and in order to study them it is necessary to put them in perspective. This assessment considers law in relation to workplace behaviors and shifts in demographics. Specifically, it looks at the foundation of U.S. law and the related legislation enacted to address the rights of U.S. citizens as they engage in workplace contracts and activities.

Events and inventions demanded workers develop different skill sets. As those forces of change arose, public pressure, under the banner of equal opportunity, influenced the workplace and the courts. In an agrarian society, one works on the land. In an industrialized society, one works in a union with an enterprise. In a service society, one works in relationship with other people.

As you look to the global workplace, you see participants in the labor contract at different stages of managing relationships. The U.S. laws of the eighteenth century were written in response to the laws of England\’s domination. U.S. laws of the twenty-first century are written in direct response to the electorate of today—diverse in race, religion, age, gender, disability, marital status, and sexual orientation.

As you study the statistics, keep the legislative timeline in mind. Observe the direct relationship between the legislative process and the human factor. Test your intuitions in your own workplace and community. Do not hesitate to challenge the numbers. Look at the trends in the United States and place them in the context of a global labor pool and a global marketplace.

Preparation

To prepare for this assessment, use the Capella library and the Internet to research employment law, both from a historical perspective and in the present day. Focus your research on laws that have impacted today\’s workplace.

Then, write a 2–3 page summary of your research into employment law. Complete the following:

• Summarize two of the laws that you feel have the greatest impact in the workplace today, and provide a rationale to support your point of view.
• Discuss two employment-related topic areas in which you believe the laws will change or evolve in the next 10 years.
• Describe any trends or historical perspectives that support your position regarding the laws that will change or evolve in the next 10 years.

Additional Requirements

• Written Communication: Written communication should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA Formatting: Resources and citations should be formatted according to current APA style and formatting guidelines.
• Font and Font Size: Times New Roman, 12 point, double-spaced. Use Microsoft Word to complete the assessment.
• Length: A minimum of two pages, excluding title page and reference page (150–300 words per question).

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Competency 1: Examine the effect of the employment process on current work environments.
  • Summarize current legislation regarding workers\’ rights.
• Competency 2: Analyze trends and changes in the laws on diversity, gender, and harassment.
  • Describe any trends or historical perspectives that foreshadow probable change.
  • Anticipate future changes in the law.
  • Analyze the reasons why the law can be expected to evolve.
• Competency 3: Apply the laws and safety issues in the workplace.
  • Analyze current employment laws affecting the workplace.
• Competency 6: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the human resource profession.
  • Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the human resource profession.