Why Labor Laws are Mandatory

One of the most important aspects of the work force is the presence of labor laws, which are basically in place in order to protect you, the worker, from being exploited and harassed by your employers or your colleagues. They are there to make sure that you are working in a safe environment and that you are properly compensated for any efforts which you might have put up. As these laws have slowly evolved over the years, many can testify to the fact that the atmosphere at work has improved by leaps and bounds, especially since labor law posters were required to be displayed for all employees to see.

One of the most important labor laws, and perhaps one of the cornerstones of our current society, is the one which talks about child labor.  In general, the labor laws which apply to children are quite different from those which apply to adults; this is made with the intention of making sure that the child has his or her childhood intact, or at least that no harm comes to their personal life and development as a result of spending time working. In most cases, as can be read in the federal labor law posters, children are not allowed to be employed before reaching the age of 14, and even then there are many restrictions which still apply to them.

One of the most important aspects of labor laws touches on the amount of hours an employee has worked, whether or not they have worked overtime, and whether or not they are being properly compensated for their work. There are laws in place, which make sure that unlike in the past when employees could work up to 16 hours a day or even more, which are there in order to prevent employees from being overworked, as it presents clear health dangers. If an employee chooses to work over the time they are legally supposed to, then their salary for these hours is calculated at a rate of one and a half times the normal salary, which gives them the opportunity to make extra money without overworking themselves.

Depending on what industry you are working and what state you are located in, you can read about the health and safety regulations of your workplace usually on state labor law posters which are basically there to ensure that the employees are working in an environment which is safe for them and do not risk any injuries should they follow the necessary procedure.

As you can see, the labor laws are more than necessary in our society seeing as how they protect regular workers and children from being abused in the professional world.