Employment laws can seem confusing. For those who might have an employment claim but aren’t sure where to start, we’ve compiled this list of resources to help you better understand the process as well as the rights and protections granted to you as an employee. If you’d like further information, please contact us.

Additional information is available through our Practice Areas and Resources pages.

Federal Employment Laws

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
  Prohibits age-based workplace discrimination against employees who are 40 years of age or older.
• Title I and Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
  Prohibit employment discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the private sector, and in state and local governments.
• Civil Rights Act of 1866
  Prohibits discrimination based on race in the making and enforcement of contracts.
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
  Prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, religion or national origin.
• Equal Pay Act of 1963
  Prohibits sex-based wage discrimination between men and women in the same establishment who are performing under similar working conditions.
• Sections 501 and 505 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
  Prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities who work in the federal government.
• Civil Rights Act of 1991
  Provides for recovery of monetary damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination.
• Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
  Establishes minimum wages, overtime pay, record keeping, and child labor standards for private sector and government workers, and the Department of Labor regulations implementing the Act.
• Family Medical Leave Act
  Requires certain employers to provide qualified employees with temporary, unpaid leave for medical reasons, for the birth or adoption of a child, or for the care of a child, spouse or parent who has a serious health condition.
• Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009
  Allows pay discrimination claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to be filed within 180 days of the issuance of a discriminatory paycheck.

Federal Whistleblower Laws

• Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA), 15 U.S.C. § 2651
  Provides protection against retaliation for reporting violations of environmental laws relating to asbestos in elementary and secondary school systems, whether public or non-profit private.
• Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7622
  Established standards for air quality, acceptable pollutants, and related reporting and inspection procedures.  An employee who reports any misrepresentations or noncompliance by the employer is protected.
• Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. § 9610
  Provides for liability, compensation, and emergency response for hazardous substances that have been released or are threatening to be released into the environment.  Employees are protected if they have provided information to the local or federal government, have filed a complaint about their employer under the Act, or have participated in any CERCLA proceeding against her or his employer.
• Energy Reorganization Act (ERA), 42 U.S.C. § 5851
  Provides whistleblower protections for contractors and employees who provide information about, or participate in investigations relating to, what they believe to be violations of nuclear safety laws and standards.
• Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1367
  Prohibits the release of hazardous levels of pollution into any waters that constitute a natural habitat for living things. An employee who reports any misrepresentations or noncompliance by the employer is protected.
• Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002, 49 U.S.C. § 6012
  Which provides whistleblower protections for pipeline system employees who report violations of Federal law relating to pipeline safety and security.
• Safe Drinking Water Act 42 U.S.C. § 300j-9
  Which concerns lead levels in drinking water from both above-ground and underground sources. Employees are protected from retaliation for reporting potential violations of the Act.
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. & 1514
  Which provides whistleblower protections for employees of publicly traded companies who report accounting fraud and other corporate wrongdoing.
• Solid Waste Disposal Act, 42 U.S.C. § 6971
  Which regulates the management of hazardous waste. An employee is protected for reporting abuses of funding and assistance, violation of waste management requirements, or other potential violations of the Act.
• Surface Transportation Assistance Act, 49 U.S.C. § 31105
  Which provides whistleblower protections for employees of commercial motor vehicles who report noncompliance with commercial vehicle safety regulations.
• Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. § 2622
  Which regulates the thousands of industrial chemicals produced or imported into the United States to protect the health and safety of humans and the environment. An employee who reports potential violations of TSCA or in any way assists in proceedings or investigations of such violations is protected from employment retaliation.
• Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21), 49 U.S.C. § 42121
  Which extends federal whistleblower protections to the employees of air carriers and their contractors and subcontractors who disclose aviation hazards.
• Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989
  Which protects federal employees who blow the whistle on fraud, waste, abuse and other violations of the law.
• Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008
  Which provides whistleblower protections for employees who blow the whistle on unsafe consumer products and report employer violations of consumer product safety laws.

District of Columbia Employment Laws

• D.C. Family and Medical Leave Act
  Which requires covered employers in the District to provide qualified employees with temporary, unpaid leave for medical reasons, for the birth or adoption of a child, or for the care of a child, spouse or parent who has a serious health condition. See also the Department of Labor’s comparison chart of Federal vs. the District of Columbia Family and Medical Leave Laws.
• D.C. Whistleblower Reinforcement Act
  Which provides whistleblower protection to District of Columbia employees and contractors who report waste, fraud, abuse of authority or violations of law.
• D.C. Human Rights Act
  Which prohibits discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, matriculation, political affiliation, genetic information, disability, source of income, status as a victim of an intrafamily offense, or place of residence or business.

Laws Protecting Consumers

• Consumer Credit
  This web page from Wex, a law dictionary and encyclopedia sponsored by the Legal Information Institute at the Cornell Law School, provides useful links to federal and state laws that regulate consumer credit transactions.
• Equal Credit Opportunity Act
  Which prohibits discrimination in credit transactions on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status or age.
• Fair Credit Reporting Act
  Which establishes procedures for credit reporting agencies and provides remedies for consumers harmed by inaccurate credit reporting.
• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act 
  Which prohibits debt collectors from engaging in abusive, deceptive or unfair debt collection practices
• Truth in Lending Act
  Which requires disclosures in consumer credit transactions.
• Uniform Commercial Code
  Which governs a wide range of consumer transactions. This web page features the main provisions of the UCC and its state-by-state variations.

Other Federal Laws

• United States Code
  The official compilation of all federal statutes.
• Code of Federal Regulations
  The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government. It is divided into 50 titles that represent broad areas subject to Federal regulation.
• Federal Register
  Published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Federal Register is the official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents.
• Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
  These rules govern the conduct of all civil actions brought in Federal district courts. While they do not apply to suits in state courts, the rules of many states have been closely modeled on these provisions.

Other State Laws

• District of Columbia Official Code
  The official compilation of the laws of the District of Columbia.

Federal Government Agencies Enforcing Employment Laws

• U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 
  The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights studies, analyzes, and reports on civil rights issues in the United States as well as implementation of civil rights laws and regulations in federal agencies.
• U.S. Department of Labor
  The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration administers the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the whistleblowing provisions of sixteen other statutes, protecting employees who report violations of various trucking, airline, nuclear power, pipeline, environmental, rail, consumer product and securities laws.
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  The agency of the United States Government that enforces the federal employment discrimination laws. See also the EEOC Facts About Sexual Harassment
• U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
  The Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division prosecutes violations of criminal civil rights statutes and enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, and national origin.
• Merit Systems Protection Board
  Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) serves as an independent, bipartisan guardian of the merit systems under which Federal employees work.
• Office of Special Counsel
  U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) protects federal employees and applicants from prohibited personnel practices, especially reprisal for whistleblowing. OSC also enforces the Hatch Act and protects the rights of federal employee military veterans and reservists under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.
• FedWorld
  A gateway site to information disseminated by the U.S. government, with a search engine reaching 30 million government web pages.

Federal Government Agencies Enforcing Consumer Laws

• Federal Reserve Board
  Federal Reserve Board, whose website has useful information about credit, identity theft, mortgages, checking accounts and other topics of interest to consumers.
• Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection
  Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, which maintains a web site with a wide range of consumer information and links.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
  U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, whose website provides useful information about home buying and predatory mortgage lending.
• FedWorld
  A gateway site to information disseminated by the U.S. government, with a search engine reaching 30 million government web pages.

Organizations Supporting Employee Rights

• American Bar Association: Labor & Employment Section
  This section of the American Bar Association includes lawyers from both sides of the labor and employment bar. Their website provides useful information on a number of employment-related and other legal issues.
• American Rights at Work
  American Rights at Work, which combats workers’ rights abuses, promotes workplace democracy and advocates stronger labor laws.
• D.C. Employment Justice Center
  D.C Employment Justice Center, a non-profit group with the mission of securing, protecting and promoting workplace justice in the D.C. metropolitan area.
• Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
  Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, a national civil rights law and policy center seeking to advance the civil and human rights of people with disabilities through legal advocacy, training, education and legislation.
• Equal Rights Advocates
  Equal Rights Advocates, a non-profit organization that uses impact litigation and advocacy to benefit women workers, in particular low-wage workers, women from immigrant communities and women of color.
• Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association
  Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association, that organization of lawyers and organizations in the D.C. metro area that represent employees in legal disputes with employers.
• National Employment Law Project
  National Employment Law Project, an organization advocating for the working poor and the unemployed.
• National Partnership for Women and Families
  National Partnership for Women and Families, using public education and advocacy to promote fairness in the workplace, quality health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and the family.
• National Women’s Law Center
  National Women’s Law Center, which uses lobbies for and enforces laws that advance possibilities for women and girls in education, employment, family economic security and health, and the NWLC Sexual Harassment Page
• National Employment Lawyers Association
  The national organization of lawyers and organizations that represent employees in legal disputes with employers.
• WorkPlace Fairness
  WorkPlace Fairness, a non-profit organization that seeks to protect and strengthen workers’ rights.

Organizations Supporting Whistleblowers

• Government Accountability Project
  Government Accountability Project, a non-profit public interest group that promotes government and corporate accountability by advancing occupational free speech, defending whistleblowers, and empowering citizen activists.
• Project on Government Oversight
  Project on Government Oversight, which investigates systemic waste, fraud and abuse in federal agencies, with the aim of achieving a more accountable federal government.
• Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
  Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a service organization that assists federal and state public employees in blowing the whistle on the exploitation and pollution of the environment.

Organizations Supporting Consumers

• National Association of Consumer Advocates
  National Association of Consumer Advocates, a nationwide organization of over 1,000 private and legal-aid lawyers who represent consumers in fighting against consumer fraud, predatory lending, and unfair and deceptive business practices.
• National Consumer Law Center
  National Consumer Law Center, a non-profit organization of consumer law experts that helps protect consumers and promotes marketplace justice through litigation, education and advocacy.
• Center for Responsible Lending
  Center for Responsible Lending, a non-profit, non-partisan research and policy organization dedicated to protecting home ownership and family wealth by working to eliminate abusive financial practices, and whose website provides resources a number of resources for opponents of predatory lending and other such practices
• Consumer Action
  Consumer Action, a national non-profit education and advocacy organization offering many services and excellent informational resources to consumers, including on consumer fraud, predatory lending, debt collection, and more.
• Consumers Union
  Consumers Union, the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports, provides useful information regarding product safety, credit reporting, bank fees and other topics.
• Consumer World
  Consumer World, whose website features links to dozens of consumer-protection agencies and organizations at the state, federal and international levels.
• National Community Reinvestment Coalition
  National Community Reinvestment Coalition, which fights against predatory lending.
• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
  Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a non-profit that issues fact sheets on telemarketing, financial privacy, employee background checks, and more.
• Public Citizen
  Public Citizen, a national, non-profit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 to represent consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts.
• Consumer Federation of America
  Consumer Federation of America, an advocacy, research, education, and service organization addressing a wide range of consumer issues.

Organizations Supporting Civil and Economic Rights

• AARP
  AARP, a membership organization of persons 50 and older dedicated to addressing their needs and interests in a wide range of areas, and AARP Foundation Legal Advocacy, the arm of AARP Foundation, that addresses legal issues affecting the elderly, as well as broader consumer protection issues such as predatory lending.
• Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
  Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a non-profit organization that uses the skills and resources of the private bar to obtain equal opportunity under the law for racial and ethnic minorities, and for other victims of discrimination.
• NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
  NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides legal assistance to minorities and others seeking justice and equality in education, voting, employment, housing, transportation, health care and the criminal justice system.
• Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
  Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, a public-interest law firm that represents individuals and groups seeking to vindicate their civil rights in employment, housing, public accommodations and other aspects of urban life.
• Human Rights Campaign
  Human Rights Campaign, the largest U.S. civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality.
• Legal Momentum
  Legal Momentum, a non-profit organization using litigation, public policy and educational efforts to advance the right of women to equal work and equal pay, the health of women and girls, and strong families and communities.

U.S. Supreme Court

• Supreme Court Official Website
  This Website is maintained by the Supreme Court of the United States to provide Court information to the bar, the public, and the news media. The site was developed by the Court and the Government Printing Office (GPO) and is part of the GPO Access System.
• Supreme Court Opinions Page
  The opinions of the Supreme Court of the United States are published officially in a set of case books called the United States Reports.
• Cornell Law Library
  The Legal Information Institute is known internationally as a leading “law-not-com” provider of public legal information. They offer all opinions of the United States Supreme Court handed down since 1992, together with over 600 earlier decisions selected for their historic importance, over a decade of opinions of the New York Court of Appeals, and the full United States Code. They also publish important secondary sources: libraries in two important areas (legal ethics and social security) and a series of “topical” pages that serve as concise explanatory guides and Internet resource listings for roughly 100 areas of law.
• FindLaw
  FindLaw is the highest-trafficked legal Web site, providing the most comprehensive set of legal resources on the Internet for legal professionals, corporate counsel, law students, businesses, and consumers. These resources include Web search utilities, cases and codes, legal news, an online career center, and community-oriented tools, such as a secure document management utility, e-mail newsletters, and message boards.

The Federal Courts

• U.S. Courts
  A useful site maintained by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, featuring links to the websites of all U.S. District Courts and U.S. Courts of Appeals.
• Understanding the Federal Courts
  A publication of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts that provides an overview of the structure and judicial processes of the U.S. court system.

Legal Research Tools

• FindLaw
  FindLaw is the highest-trafficked legal Web site, providing the most comprehensive set of legal resources on the Internet for legal professionals, corporate counsel, law students, businesses, and consumers. These resources include Web search utilities, cases and codes, legal news, an online career center, and community-oriented tools, such as a secure document management utility, e-mail newsletters, and message boards.
• Legal Information Institute
  Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.
• Law Library
  Law Library of the Department of Labor’s Office of Administrative Law Judges, which adjudicates nuclear, environmental and Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower claims.