A Reflection on US Labor Issues: Workers’ Rights

A Reflection on US Labor Issues: Workers’ Rights
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A Reflection on US Labor Issues: Workers’ Rights
Among the myriad of labor issues that permeate American mainstream and legal discourse, worker’s rights occupy a unique and critical position. Worker’s rights are defined by the United States Department of Labor (DOL) as the basic human right to healthy and safe working conditions, create, join, and engage in collective bargaining for better working conditions and pay. This definition is expansive in scope, encompassing workers’ physical safety and ability to form and join unions, protest working conditions, receive fair wages and benefits, and have freedom from discrimination (Lee, 2022). Worker’s rights are legally recognized and protected in the United States through several statutes and case law. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are responsible for enforcing federal labor laws on workers’ rights, while state governments have enacted their own labor laws that may additionally protect workers’ rights (Lee, 2022). For instance, New Jersey (NJ) offers more protections to its workers through laws and statutes enforced by various institutions like the DOL and the NJ Division Wage and Hour Compliance, as well as the state’s Attorney General’s office (Lee, 2022). Worker’s rights are fundamental to American society, as they are enshrined in the US Constitution, most notably in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Lee, 2022). Worker’s rights are not static or unchangeable but constantly evolve in response to changing social and economic conditions. Thus, keeping up to date on current worker’s rights developments is essential for all stakeholders involved in the labor market, from employers to employees. This essay will provide a comprehensive overview of workers’ rights in the United States and how they affect me as a student and a worker.
Federal law requires employers to pay workers a minimum hourly wage of US$7.25 or US$2.13 and tips for tipped employees (Lee, 2022). However, many states like California, New York, and New Jersey have set higher minimum wages at US$14 or US$15 (for CA depending on company size), US$14.20 (for NY), and US$13 (for NJ) (Giotis & Mylonas, 2022; Lee, 2022). NJ and federal law cap the maximum workweek at 40 hours per week and requires employers to pay their workers 150% of the normal hourly wages per hour for overtime hours (Lee, 2022). Employers must also furnish their workers with payment statements. Additionally, while some states offer provisions for enforcing breaks for workers, federal law does not. “At Will” laws protect employers from being sued for firing or disciplining their workers for any lawful reas...