When you have a newborn or newly adopted baby, or when a loved one is seriously ill, your most important job may be at home rather than at work. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 provides workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid and job-protected leave for...

America has made great progress in recent years in removing the artificial barriers that can prevent people with disabilities from achieving economic self-sufficiency and participating fully in our society. But progress can't be taken for granted, and too many of...

As we age, we accumulate experience that can make us even more valuable at work. But that's not how many employers see it. It's not unusual for older workers to encounter age discrimination that makes it harder to get hired, promoted and treated fairly. The Age...

In the global economy, multinational corporations move capital and jobs half-way around the world with the click of a mouse. These companies—many of them American—seek out the lowest possible labor costs and weakest worker protections. Even if the jobs are not moved,...

Discover what legal rights you have under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, including the right to a workplace free of recognized health and safety hazards. If you need to file a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration about a...

With the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, more and more reservists are being called to active duty. Today, because of dramatic reduction of military personnel during the 1990s, nearly half of U.S. military Members are reservists, according to the U.S. Department of...

It shouldn't hurt to go to work. But in 2004, more than 12,000 workers were injured or made ill on the job every single day—and that doesn't include the estimated 50,000 to 60,000 workers who died from occupational diseases. Experts agree that if you are injured on...

You deserve to be paid fairly for your work, including overtime hours. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act requires that employees, unless specifically exempted—such as managers, certain sales employees and professionals—must be paid overtime if they work more than...

Sexual harassment is illegal and no worker has to tolerate it. In 1986, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized sexual harassment as a form of illegal sex discrimination. Sexual harassment is unwanted verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: You must submit to...