The title of this course is “Labor Relations” but, more accurately, should be called “Introduction to Labor & Employment Law.” “Labor law” typically refers to “traditional” labor law, i.e., legal issues involving unions and/or arising under the National Labor Relations Act, and public sector labor laws. “Employment law” is everything else: individual employment rights; discrimination law; family medical leave, health and safety, plant closing notice laws, and wage and hour law.

This course is intended to be a sampler platter, of sorts. The goal is to get a taste of each of the more interesting areas that comprise Labor & Employment law.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Upon successful completion of the course you should be able to:

• Explain and apply the major common-law doctrines regulating employment, including the at-will default rule and the various exceptions to that rule;
• Explain and apply the major provisions of the federal labor and employment statutes covered in this course, including the National Labor Relations Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act;
• Advise future clients on the law of the workplace, including the rights and protections afforded to employees, and the measures employers should take to ensure they are in compliance with their legal obligations; and
• Identify the competing policy concerns that drive the development of labor and employment law and use policy arguments to critique existing law and to articulate novel legal claims.