How Labor Laws Have Changed Throughout History
Business owners and human resource employees understand that employment laws change always been important to the subject company. There are various reasons for such changes across state, locale as well as the federal jurisdictions. In many instances, the catalysts for changes always being land n mark cases, while often the new best practices or the societal changes lead to new policies. Even when considering the reason, it may indeed be crucial to adhere to the set-out employment laws. When one lacks in such regard could lead the business a necessary amount of funds in its court fees. Posters in labor compliance laws could go a long way toward ensuring the business owner, employees, and managers become aware of the changes (Befort). However, for this assessment of labor laws, it will be taking historical focus in tracking the changes employment and labor have been undergoing in the last fifty years.
One of these changes in history includes the increase of minimum wage requirement of up to $10.00 per hour. Its implementation started in 1014 at the time. President Obama placed his signature on the executive order 13658 (Befort). Some of the outlines of the law included the proposal of the minimum wage meant for a federal contractor, and other possible increases in the future under the executive order, the enlisted federal contractors to be paid an hourly rate of $5.90.
There was also a change in the federal wage law. The decision made by the department of labor of modifying the fair labor standards act of (FLSA) was among the most extensive changes in the employment laws (Befort). The section which underwent amendment was focus on overtime and wage. The update was the first and still is since 2004, as well as extending overtime provisions for higher than 5 million workers in the United States (Lucassen). The revised act always needs that while working more than 40 hours in any week, the employee had to receive overtime pay in the case they are paid less than $50 000 on an annual basis.
The laws in the federal “ban the box” also underwent changes. For instance, the bi-partisan bill Federal Fair Chance Act or the FFCA, remove a box in a job application that asks about the criminal history of applicants. The main reason for the implementation of FFCA was in ensuring that the criminal record of the applicant record was not for preventing them from getting hired. A couple of states and cities the US had implemented their initiatives for the “Ban the Box” (BLS). There was also an increase of OSHA penalties, or the occupational safety and health administration was also to make sure that guidelines are put in pace in maintaining employment and community sites. There had been a rather significant applied fine for the regulations in health and safety (Lucassen). The fines were increased by up to 70% in the way of “catching up” in the course of 2016, as a result of there being noted fines from 1990.
Conclusively, a lot has changed globally in the last few decades. The evolution of increased immigration and gender roles has shifted the demographics of the people at work. Technological advances have gone a long way in changing the manner we work. The world economy has also changed what people do in the workplace, and the market is valued (Befort). Since global technology and trade are primarily responsible for the lack of balance globally, a kind of comprehensive solution is ultimately needed.
Works Cited
Befort, Stephen F. “Labor And Employment Law At The Millennium: A Historical Review And Critical Assessment.” 2020. Web. 13 May 2020. <https://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/schools/law/lawreviews/journals/bclawr/43_2/02_TXT.htm>.
BLS. “Labor law highlights, 1915–2015.” October 2015. Web. 14 May 2020.
Lucassen Jan. “Outlines of a History of Labour.” 2013. Web. 14 May 2020.
Stephen, Befort F. “Labor and Employment Law at the Millennium: A Historical Review and Critical Assessment.” 2002. Web. 14 May 2020.