Selected Laws

Archive for the ‘Federal Law’ Category

Employers have the right to make employment-related decisions that are essential to a company’s success. However, some of them tend to abuse their power by subjecting their employees to illegal employment practices.

One of these practices is making decisions that are based on an applicant or employee’s protected characteristics. The law tries to protect employees against workplace discrimination by imposing federal anti-discrimination laws, which include the following:

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

It prohibits employers from performing discriminatory practices against employees or applicants on the basis of color, race, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin. In addition, it protects employees from retaliation if they have asserted their rights in workplace or filed a discrimination complaint.

Title VII applies to private employers who have at least 15 workers, employment agencies, labor organizations, the federal government, state governments and their political agencies and subdivisions, and joint labor management committees that control trainings and apprenticeships.

The main reason why it was enforced is to prevent discrimination in all areas of employment including the following:

Firing
Promotion, transfer, or layoff
Recruitment
Job advertisements
Fringe benefits

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)

Under ADEA, employers are prohibited from discriminating against applicants or workers who are 40-years-old and above. It applies to all private employers who have at least 20 workers, interstate agencies, the federal government, labor unions, and employment agencies.

It also provides protection to state government employees. However, these employees are prohibited from filing a case in court if they suffered from age discrimination. They can only file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Equal Pay Act (EPA)

It requires employers to provide equal compensation to male and female employees who have the same job responsibilities. However, these employees can have different salaries if the employer has based his decision on factors other than gender like merit or seniority.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

It prohibits local and state governments, private employers who have at least 15 employees, labor unions, and employment agencies from performing discriminatory actions against qualified disabled individuals in all aspects of employment.

A disabled employee or applicant will be qualified for the job if he can perform his job duties, even without reasonable accommodation.

Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA) of 2008

Employers are prohibited from using an employee or applicant’s genetic information as a basis when making employment decisions. In addition, they are also prohibited from requiring workers to provide such information.

This article is not meant to be interpreted as a legal advice. To know the available legal options regarding your case, consult an Employment Law Attorney for more information.

Find More Federal Law Articles

For nearly a decade there have been many debt relief programs that promised the world and failed to deliver. Debt settlement programs used to be allowed to collect upfront fees with no performance guarantee however the new federal credit card debt relief laws have changed this. Now consumers or small businesses that enter into a debt settlement program will not have to pay a dime until their debts actually settle.

The new federal credit card debt relief laws nave made it easier and far less risky to settle credit debt. The shady debt relief companies have been put out of business with this new legislation. The shady companies know they cannot survive without collecting upfront fees. The days of promising consumers a dream and simply collecting fees without providing a real service are over.

The legitimate debt settlement companies embrace the new federal credit card debt relief laws. The companies that have actually been successfully negotiating settlement deals will have enough confidence to collect their fees on the back end when they actually make a settlement deal. A good site to find legitimate debt settlement companies is FreeDebtReductionHelp.com. They can help you find the best debt settlement services and also go over all your debt relief options for free.

Getting out of debt through a debt settlement process does not come without consequence. Consumers will see their credit score negatively affected in the short run however it is not nearly as bad as bankruptcy. Typically, credit scores can be repaired within 2-3 years while bankruptcy will negatively affect your credit for at least 7 years.

The easiest way to locate legitimate debt settlement companies is to use a free debt relief network. These networks will ensure that the debt settlement company you are provided is legitimate and is a respected member of all the regulatory commissions such as The Association Of Settlement Companies and the BBB. Most free debt relief networks will provide a free debt consultation to help the consumer determine what debt relief option is most appropriate.

There is no magic bullet to get out of debt however debt settlement can a good option for consumers who are experiencing financial hardship and have at least k in unsecured debts.