Every businesswoman knows that navigating the world of entrepreneurship can be tricky. Your colleagues automatically hold you to higher standards and give you less room to fail. As a result, you need a soundproof business model and a supreme work ethic. However, your business practices and knowledge of workplace law also need to be bulletproof. That’s why we wrote this quick legal guide for women entrepreneurs like you.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is undoubtedly one of the most foundational and important employment laws in the United States. It prevents discrimination against sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, ethnicity, religion, and disability in all aspects of employment. An employer cannot hire, fire, promote, demote, offer, or deny raises based on any of these protected characteristics. Title VII ensures that businesses remain impartial and unbiased and treat all their employees with the respect they deserve.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is what establishes the national minimum wage and overtime standards. It also requires that employers keep a strict record of their employees’ wages and hours, outline who they can and cannot cover for overtime pay, and it puts limitations on child labor. Misclassifying an employee, not paying overtime for covered workers, and averaging out workweeks are all violations of the FLSA. Ultimately, this law protects workers from unfair wage practices.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSH Act) protects employees and ensures they have a safe, clean environment to work in. This act sets the standards for different workplace conditions, what an employer can and cannot expose their workers to, and for how long. It requires that the work environment remain free of established hazards such as “toxic chemicals and infectious agents.” It also states that employers must record and report injuries and incidents and ensure employees have access to their rights.
The Equal Pay Act (EPA) is just as it sounds—it ensures that employers pay all their employees the same regardless of gender or sex. Employers must pay two employees the same wage if they are doing substantially equal jobs. Substantially equal does not mean that both jobs must be exactly the same but that the effort, responsibility, and level of skill are similar. However, it does allow employers to pay some employees higher based on merit or seniority.
We hope our quick legal guide for women entrepreneurs helps make running your business and keeping your passion alive a little easier. Let women’s rights lawyer Tamara N. Holder help if you need help making sure your business is legally sound. As a women’s rights attorney with years of experience in employment law, she has the experience and dedication to assist and protect businesswomen like you.
