Employment Law Newsletters

EEOC Uniform Guidelines for

Employee Selection Procedures)

Federal Sector Alternative Dispute Resolution

Federal employees are protected from workplace discrimination by a number of laws. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for coordinating anti-discrimination efforts in the federal workplace, including enforcing all non-discrimination legislation. Portions of the following laws exist to forbid workplace discrimination in much of the federal sector:

Federal Worker Protection

American workers are protected by a number of antidiscrimination laws. The primary federal antidiscrimination laws include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. They do not, however, protect workers from discrimination based upon their marital status, sexual orientation, or status as a parent.

Hot Cargo Agreements under the National Labor Relations Act

In 1935, Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to encourage collective bargaining and to strengthen the rights of workers. Hot cargo agreements, also known as "hot goods" agreements, are agreements between employers and labor unions.

Labor Unions

Many claims of breach of the duty of fair representation stem from a labor union's refusal to pursue a grievance on behalf of a union member. Despite the prohibition of invidious or hostile discrimination in representing its members, labor unions have significant leeway in the way they represent their members, including the handling of grievances. A union has the discretion to determine whether a grievance of one of its members is in fact meritorious or not. Dissatisfied union members whose unions have decided adversely to the members as to the merit of their grievances may bring lawsuits against the union for breach of the duty of fair representation.