HRS 102 - Human Resource Law

1. Describe how various state and federal laws affect the employment relationship, including statutes concerning discrimination, a safe and healthy workplace, and wage and hour basics.
2. Identify key provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act and Americans with Disabilities Act.
3. Identify the various race and color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religious, age, and disability issues encountered when considering discrimination claims and related employer liability.
4. Explain the role and advantages of adopting an employee handbook.

1. Describe the legal protocol; set out by many state and federal laws and court decisions, for every phase of the employment relationship, including the hiring process.
2. Explain how creating or having an existing employee handbook can help the employer and employees reach an amicable resolution, and if needed, help the company defend itself in legal proceedings.
3. Describe statutes and laws concerning wage and hour basics, and potential problem areas.
4. Explain how the tax laws affect the employer and how the pieces of the tax system fit together.
5. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of offering employee benefits; which benefits will the federal tax laws allow the employer to deduct as a business expense.
6. Describe what the Family and Medical Leave Act means to the employer and the employee.
7. Discuss the federal and state laws and local ordinances that require the employer to make the workplace save and healthy. List some of the advantages to the employer to keep the workplace safe and healthy.
8. Elaborate on the different laws that prohibit discrimination (and the many types of discrimination) in the workplace.
9. Describe what the Americans with Disabilities Act means to the employer.
10. Discuss the issues that an employer must be aware of concerning terminations and preventing possible wrongful termination claims.
11. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of hiring independent contractors; how they differ from employees, and discuss the legal issues of which an employer should be aware. (Optional)
12. Describe the issue of Unions in the workplace and basic workers’ rights, as well as employers’ rights. (Optional)
13. Discuss cost-effective ways employers can use lawyers and other legal resources available to employers. (Optional)

1. Hiring
   1. Legal guidelines for hiring employees
   2. Job descriptions
   3. Job advertisements
   4. Job applications
   5. Interviews
   6. Testing
   7. Investigations
   8. Making a job offer
2. Personnel Practices
   1. Employee files
   2. Employee handbooks
   3. Employee performance reviews
   4. Disciplining employees
3. Wages and Hours
   1. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) coverage
   2. Pay requirements
   3. Calculating pay
   4. Calculating work hours
   5. Keeping records
   6. Child labor
   7. Payroll withholding
4. Taxes
   1. Employer identification numbers
   2. Federal employment taxes
   3. Self-employment taxes
   4. Tax deductions for salaries and other expenses
   5. Independent contractors
   6. Statutory employees
5. Employee Benefits
   1. Healthcare coverage
   2. Retirement plans
   3. Other employee benefits
6. Family and Medical Leave
   1. Who is covered
   2. Reasons for taking a leave
   3. Scheduling leave
   4. Temporary transfer to another job
   5. Substituting paid leave
   6. Advance notice of leave
   7. Certification
   8. Health benefits
   9. Returning to work
   10. Related laws
   11. Enforcement
7. Health and Safety
   1. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
   2. Getting help
   3. State OSHA Laws
   4. Hazardous chemicals
   5. Workers’ compensation
   6. Disease prevention
   7. Tobacco smoke
   8. Drug and alcohol abuse
   9. Repetitive stress disorder
8. Illegal Discrimination
   1. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
   2. Sexual harassment
   3. Age
   4. Pregnancy
   5. National origin
   6. Gay and lesbian workers
   7. State and local laws
9. Workers with Disabilities
   1. The Americans with Disabilities Act
   2. Businesses that are covered
   3. Who is protected
   4. Exceptions to coverage
   5. Providing reasonable accommodations
   6. Financial assistance
   7. Health and safety standards
   8. Medical exams
   9. Enforcement
10. Termination
    1. Wrongful discharge cases
    2. Guarding against legal claims
    3. Guidelines for firing employees
    4. Investigating complaints against workers
    5. Alternatives to firing
    6. The firing process
    7. Heading off trouble
    8. Final paycheck
    9. Continuing health insurance
    10. Unemployment compensation
    11. Protecting your business information
    12. Handling post-employment inquires
11. Independent Contractors (Optional)
    1. Comparing employees and independent contractors
    2. The IRS rules
    3. Workers automatically classified as employees
    4. State laws
    5. The risks of misclassification
    6. Hiring independent contractors
12. Unions (Optional)
    1. The National Labor Relations Act
    2. Unionizing a workplace
    3. Employer rights and limitations
    4. Making unions unnecessary
13. Lawyers and Legal Research (Optional)
    1. Getting help
    2. Paying a lawyer
    3. Resolving problems