Know your rights
Employment Law Resources
These guides explain the federal employment laws that apply in every state, in plain English, and link to the statutes and agency rules each one describes. Federal law is a floor, not a ceiling. Your state or city can give you more protection and set different deadlines, so check both before you act.
Explore the federal law collection
Wrongful Termination
Wrongful Termination: Know Your Rights
Most firings are legal. Learn which reasons federal law forbids, which limits come from state law, and how fast the clocks run.
Unpaid Wages
Unpaid Wages, Overtime, and Final Pay
The federal wage floor, the tip credit, who is really exempt, and why final-paycheck timing is set by your state.
Severance Pay
Severance Agreements: Know Before You Sign
What a severance release can and cannot take away, the OWBPA rules at 40 and older, and how severance affects unemployment.
Discrimination Claims
How to File a Discrimination Charge
Deadlines, employer size rules, and what happens next after discrimination or harassment at work.
Building Your Case
Evidence Checklist for Your Employment Case
What to save, what you can lawfully record, and what not to touch when something goes wrong at work.