Employment Newsletters

What are Right-to-Work Laws?

Under most right-to-work statutes, "open shops" are required. Under an open shop structure, employees are free to choose whether or not they wish to join a union. Non-union members may not be required to pay fees to the union. More...

The Employee Benefits Security Administration-Enforcement of ERISA Disclosure and Reporting Requirements

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) regulates how private-sector employee benefit plans are administered and requires benefit plans to provide information about plans and changes to the plans to both the federal government and to plan participants and beneficiaries. The Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), an agency of the United States Department of Labor, has the responsibility of administering the fiduciary, reporting, and disclosure provisions of ERISA. Prior to 2003, the EBSA was known as the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, which prior to 1986 was known as the Pension and Welfare Benefits Program. In 1986, the program was also upgraded to sub-cabinet classification. The EBSA also oversees the fiduciary and auditing aspects of the Thrift Savings Plan that was established under the Federal Employees' Retirement System Act. More...

Labor Management Relations Act

In 1947, Congress passed the Labor Management Relations Act (LMRA), also known as the Taft-Hartley Act, which amended the National Labor Relations Act primarily to impose certain restrictions on the activities of labor unions. The LMRA also imposed upon employers and labor unions a "mutual obligation . . . to meet at reasonable times and confer in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment, or the negotiation of an agreement or any question arising thereunder." This obligation is known as the "duty to bargain." More...

Arbitration -- Labor Agreements -- General Evidentiary Issues

Arbitration vs. Litigation More...

Whistleblower Protection for Federal Government Employees

Background More...