Link to U.S. state labor law resources below, to research your employee rights. State labor law topics to which the links below lead include sexual harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination, overtime pay, minimum wage, background checks, drug testing in the workplace, COBRA insurance, illegal interview questions, separation, non-compete and non-disclosure agreements, and sick leave, vacation and severance pay to name only a few.

Technically, state labor laws deal with employer-union relationships, while state employment laws deal with employer-employee relationships.

But the terms are often used interchangeably. This section includes research resources for both, even though it more often refers to state labor laws.

When legislating state labor laws, lawmakers must include or expand the minimum employee rights protections afforded by the corresponding Federal labor laws.

In other words, if there is a state labor law that corresponds to a Federal labor law, then your employee rights are protected by whichever of the two affords the better protection. If there isn't a corresponding state labor law, then your employee rights are protected by the Federal labor law.

See also Federal Labor Law and Whistleblower Laws to research relevant laws, and Employee Rights for self-help books on the subject. For a large variety of employee rights and labor law topics all in one place, visit EmployeeIssues.com, partner site of TechnicalJobsearch.com. Links to EmployeeIssues.com are also included below.

Attorney Referral and Labor Law Facts
Read free facts in the Legal Center Law Library on a variety of topics, including employee rights under employment and labor laws. Employment and labor law topics include, but are not limited to, wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, drug testing, employment contracts, injury on the job, unions, pay and benefits. Also includes tips for hiring and working with an attorney. If you would like qualified, prescreened attorneys to evaluate your "case" and respond, you may post it confidentially and for free, with no obligation. From LegalMatch, a free attorney referral service.

Business Law
BusinessLaw.gov, an official government Web site, offers resources for starting a small business while complying with Federal and state employment and labor laws, and other business-related laws.

Court Info
Search for laws, court cases, judicial decisions and related info posted on a variety of court and court-related Web sites, courtesy of the National Center for State Courts.

Department of Labor Web Sites - State
EmployeeIssues.com, which features plain-English articles about employee rights, maintains a list of links to state department of labor Web sites. Many include state labor law and employee rights topics, specific to the states they represent. Regardless, you may contact a labor office as a starting point for information about state labor laws and employee rights, or to seek relief for employer violations of same.

Government Offices for Employee Rights
Links to the Web sites of key, Federal and state government offices in the United States that deal with employment, labor and employee rights issues, and administer the related laws and regulations. These are the places to research employee rights and file complaints against employers for violations, courtesy of EmployeeIssues.com. Includes state unemployment and workers' compensation offices.

Legal Glossary
EmployeeIssues.com defines legal terms appearing in its content regarding employment and labor laws, and employee rights.

Small Business Laws and Regulations
The Small Business Administration offers advice and resources for starting up a business in compliance with Federal, state and local labor laws, and other business-related laws.

State and Local Government Index
The U.S. Library of Congress maintains a list of links to state and local government resources for researching laws, bills, court cases and such.

State Employment and Labor Law
Cornell Law School maintains a list of links to state employment and labor laws, and related agencies.

State Labor Law Research
Research U.S. state labor laws, court cases, legal opinions and other matters related to state labor laws. Briefly explains the difference between employment laws and labor laws. Provided by EmployeeIssues.com, an employee rights site.

State Labor Law Resources
Click through to state labor law resources related to many of the Federal Acts the U.S. Department of Labor and its divisions enforce. Includes minimum wage, overtime pay, minimum rest and meal periods, child labor, pay, right-to-work, occupational safety and health, workers' compensation, and unemployment laws or resources. Also lists contact info and links for state labor offices.

State Labor Laws
Link to the text of your state's employment and labor laws, and related rules, regulations and bills, as provided by the legislative branch of government. Starts with a brief introduction to state labor laws. Provided by EmployeeIssues.com, an employee rights site.

State Legislatures
Search for links to state statutes (laws) and other resources provided online by state legislatures, including employment and labor laws. Courtesy of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Uniform Law Commissioners
Consists of lawyers, judges and law professors appointed by states and territories, to draft proposals for uniform and model laws and encourage their enactment. Their site explains employment and labor laws (acts), such as the Arbitration, Mediation, Model Employment Termination and Trade Secrets Acts.

State Labor Law provides general information only and is not intended as legal advice nor as a substitute for legal advice. It is presented as is, with no warranty either expressed or implied. Neither the author nor publisher are engaged in rendering legal services. See an employment lawyer for legal advice. Should you act based on this information, you do so at your sole risk. Neither the author nor publisher shall have any liability arising from your decision to act on this information. Read our Disclaimer for more information.