Federal Labor Legislation

Year Title Major Thrust
1935 The National Labor Relations Act Designed to counter unfair practices on the part of employers (in the Depression years) and to reduce industrial unrest, this law gives employees the right to organize and to engage in collective bargaining.  It also established the National Labor Relations Board.
1938 The Fair Labor Standards Act This act established federal regulations of wages and hours, a minimum wage, provision for overtime pay, and constraints on child labor.  A notable exemption here is administrative and executive personnel.
1947 The Labor-Management Relations Act This law banned the closed shop and created the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.
1963 The Equal Pay Act This act established the premise of equal pay for men and women who do the same work.  It prohibits discrimination against employees on the basis of sex.
1964 The Civil Rights Act This piece of legislation created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  Along with subsequent amendments, it prohibits discrimination among employees on the basis of race, religion, sex, or national origin in hiring practices, compensation levels, or advancement opportunities.
1967 The Age Discrimination in Employment Act Similar to the Civil Rights Act in its intent, this law bars discrimination in businesses engaged in interstate commerce against persons between the ages of forty and sixty-five on the basis of age.  (A subsequent amendment raised the top age to seventy.)
1970 The Occupational Safety and Health Act This act seeks to assure safe working conditions for employees.  Businesses must comply with safety and health standards and keep accurate records pertinent to this area.  They are also subject to inspections designed to monitor compliance with the provisions of this act.
1972 The Equal Employment Opportunity Act An amendment to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, this legislation extended its provisions to include employees of local and state governments, educational institutions (both public and private), and others.
1973 The Vocational Rehabilitation Act Along with subsequent amendments, this act outlawed employment discrimination against handicapped persons who are able to fulfill their work responsibilities.
1974 The Employee Retirement Income Security Act Designed to protect the retirement income rights of employees, this act assures vesting rights and specifies the proper funding of retirement plans.
1978 The Mandatory Retirement Act This legislation eliminated the practice of requiring a worker's retirement at age sixty-five.
1983 The Job Training Partnership Act This law replaced the earlier "CETA" (Comprehensive Education and Training Act) of 1978 and provides grants to individual states for the training of unemployed and economically disadvantaged persons.