Basic Labor Laws

by KJ Henderson
Labor laws were enacted to limit the standard work week to 40 hours.


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Individuals who are employed in the United States are protected by a variety of employment, or labor, laws. Enforced by the United States Department of Labor, these regulations give workers a multitude of rights and security within a workplace. The goal of these laws is to foster a safe and healthy working environment. Employers who violate labor laws face stiff penalties, including fines, suspension or loss of a license needed to conduct business and, in extreme cases, imprisonment. In total, eight laws governing labor were enacted between 1932 and 1974.

The 1930s

Prior to 1932, the laws of the United States generally prohibited workers from organizing. If they were to strike or picket, courts would issue an injunction forcing them back to work. Those that refused were considered in contempt of court and were penalized with fines and imprisonment. The Norris-LaGuardia Act put an end to courts issuing injunctions for a variety of labor activities, including striking, assembling peacefully and organizing a union. In 1935, the Wagner Act, formally known as the National Labor Relations Act, took the principles of the Norris-LaGuardia Act a step further, giving government the power to enforce the authority of labor unions. In this capacity, the government supports unions within areas such as collective bargaining. The final law enacted in the 1930s was the Fair Labor Standards Act, or the Wages and Hours Act of 1938. Eliminating child labor and endless workdays, this act requires all workers to be at least 16 years of age, established a minimum wage and mandates overtime compensation for any time worked over 40 hours per week.

The 1940s and 1950s

Although the laws of the 1930s were heavily in favor of workers, the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act protected employers from unfair labor practices, such as secondary boycotts. In addition, the law gives employers the right to sue unions that violate collective bargaining agreements. In 1959, the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, or Landrum-Griffin Act, was passed to further govern unions. In addition to establishing a worker bill of rights, the act required unions to operate and conduct themselves as a business. For example, elected union officials must perform on behalf of the membership population as trustees.

The 1960s and 1970s

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, issued in 1964, bars employers from discriminating against employees and job seekers based upon an “individual's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” In 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act demanded that an employer employing two or more workers must provide “each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees." Finally, in 1974, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act was passed. This law requires companies to provide retirement benefits to its unionized workers. This is accomplished for the most part through pension plans.

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