HR compliance refers to the laws, regulations, and best practices that keep your employees safe from discrimination, harassment, mistreatment, and disparate treatment at work. It includes a wide range of topics, including (but not limited to):
-Workplace discrimination
-Wages and hours protections
-Health insurance and other benefits
-International hiring, visa, and immigration laws
-Workplace safety
-Diversity and inclusion in the workplace
It’s up to HR professionals to lead the way in compliance training to ensure that all managers and employees understand their responsibilities and follow the correct procedures.
HR compliance regulations you need to know
Employment laws and regulations vary at federal, state, and local levels. You’ll want to make sure your HR team is familiar with common regulations protecting employees and relevant legislation.
A few of the most common HR compliance laws and regulations regarding employees’ work hours, benefits, and working conditions include:
-Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), sets and enforces strict standards to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for all employees.
-Equal Pay Act (EPA) states that equal pay for equal work should be provided regardless of gender.
-Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires businesses to provide employees with access to affordable health insurance. It also supports innovation in medical care delivery designed to reduce the costs of general healthcare.
-Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor standards for full-time and part-time workers. This applies to the private sector and federal, state, and local governments.
-Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees with unpaid, job-protected leave for specified medical and family reasons.
-Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) prohibits employers from knowingly hiring unauthorized workers. It also forbids unfair immigration-related employment practices, and rules against fraud and misuse of immigration-related documents.
-Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 safeguards staff from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation, including sexual harassment.
-The Pregnancy Discrimination Act protects workers against pregnancy-based discrimination, as well as discriminatory treatment associated with childbirth or related medical conditions.
-Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) protects employees from discrimination based on disability status.
-The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects employees from ageism—discrimination based on their age.
-The Genetic Information Non-discrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) protects staff from discrimination related to their genetic information or family medical history. Source
