The Essentials of HR Law

Using the guidance contained in this module, you’ll be able to better analyze the nature of employer-employee relationships and the laws that arise from them.

• Discuss the basic common law rules governing the employer-employee relationship in the United States
• Determine the differences between employees and independent contractors
• Differentiate between vertical and horizontal employment relationships

This module provides an understanding of federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances and codes that guide employment decisions as well as your own organization’s policies, procedures and unwritten practices. 

• Differentiate between unlawful discrimination and unlawful harassment
• Identify the most commonly protected classes of individuals under federal, state and local laws
• Discuss the nature of unlawful harassment, including sexual harassment

Attracting, hiring, managing and retaining excellent employees is a process — not an accident. Explore current best practices in lawfully recruiting, interviewing and managing employees throughout an organization.

• Identify what lawful interviewing is — and is not
• Evaluate employees without bias
• Recognize the components of a fair and equitable progressive discipline policy

Individual managers may be liable for violations of both federal and state compensation laws. This module provides meaningful guidance on the fundamentals of these statutes that apply to almost every organization in the country.

• Discuss the nature of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Compute basic overtime
• List the requirements for exemptions from overtime under the FLSA

Three mandated benefit laws that provide significant protections to workers during dark times in their careers are related to continuation of health care coverage, job protected leave related to certain health conditions  and limited wage replacement insurance during times of unemployment. This module presents important aspects of these impactful statutes.

• Recognize health care continuation coverage time frames and costs
• Discuss the benefits and limitations of job protected family and medical leave
• Recognize the nature of federal and state unemployment insurance benefits

This module explores the basics of four very different HR laws — three that apply to almost every worker in America and one that applies to those who will serve, are serving or have served in the Armed Forces. These laws impact both managerial and staff personnel alike.

• Discuss the medical expense and wage replacement benefits of state workers’ compensation statutes
• Recognize the respective safety-related responsibilities of both the employer and the employee
• Identify the job-related rights of those who will serve, currently serve and have served in the Armed Forces
• Explain the limits of privacy in the private sector workplace