As a manager, it is your responsibility to look over the employees that are under you and figure out the best course of action. You have to have a basic understanding of labor laws so that you do not accidentally take a wrong turn and get into trouble. Here are some basic labor laws that you should know if you are a manager.

Americans With Disabilities Act

The Americans With Disabilities Act was put into place to protect disabled people and to give them a chance at equal employment. This law goes into effect for companies that have 15 or more employees working for them. According to this law, people with disabilities cannot be discriminated against, and accommodations must be made for them.

National Labor Relations Act

According to this act, employees have the right to talk about the conditions of their workplace. You cannot fire someone for talking about things like their salary and what is happening at work. Retaliation is forbidden. In fact, you should encourage employees to discuss work conditions. This promotes a positive atmosphere.

Age Discrimination In Employment Act

This act protects people who are over the age of 40. You are allowed to refuse to hire someone because they are too young, but you cannot reject someone for being too old. Also, you cannot make any jokes relating to a person’s age.

Family Medical Leave Act

The Family Medical Leave Act gives people 12 weeks off to bond with their newborn babies. The law also allows for leave if you or one of your loved ones are seriously ill. Some other situations, like a foster child placement, can also qualify you for leave.

Title VII

This is the big law that protects people on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, pregnancy status, color, and national origin. You cannot discriminate against someone for any of those reasons because it is seen as being unfair and illegal. So, for example, you are not allowed to fire a woman because she’s pregnant, or not hire a man because he is Asian.

In conclusion, these are the basic labor laws that you should know about if you are a manager. You cannot hire or fire a person for discussing what happens on the job and the conditions that they experience. Also, you cannot hire or fire people on the basis of their backgrounds.