518-373-4111
Certain labor laws apply to businesses based on how many employees they have. For example, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) applies to companies with 50 or more employees. But there are some federal regulations for having 15 employees.
Once you have 15 employees, the federal laws below would apply to you. Here is a brief summary of what you need to know about them:
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Protects qualified individuals with disabilities from unlawful employment discrimination, prohibits discrimination where an individual is able to perform their essential job functions, and requires an employer to make reasonable accommodations for disabled individuals unless doing so would place an undue hardship on the employer.
- Genetic Information and Nondiscrimination Act (GINA): Prohibits the use of genetic information in employment and restricts employers from requesting or requiring genetic information.
- Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA): Protects pregnant employees from being retaliated against in any way due to pregnancy, child birth, or any related medical conditions.
- Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act: Prohibits discrimination in all terms and conditions of employment (including pay and benefits) on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, and sex. Note that several federal courts have ruled that sex includes sexual orientation, and one has ruled that it includes gender identity as well.
For a complete list of the different federal laws that may apply based on employee count, download our Federal Labor Laws by Employee Count in Organizations guide.
Remember, there may also be additional state laws that apply as your company grows. The easiest way to ensure compliance is to outsource your payroll and HR to GTM. Contact us at (518) 373-4111.
