Free US Employment Law for HR Course

US Employment Law for HR

Beginner level 3.0 learning hrs

US employment law shapes everyday HR decisions, including what you ask in an interview and how you review a leave request. Start this free US employment law course to learn which questions to raise in each situation.

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About this course

This free US employment law course helps you recognize when an ordinary HR decision needs closer review. Start with recruitment: you look at job postings, interview questions, and screening decisions to see where hiring practices can create risk. The course introduces federal, state, and local rules so you have a framework for working out which guidance to consult. It also uses wage and hour compliance to show how worker classification affects the questions a team asks about pay and recordkeeping.


A leave request gives you a different kind of decision to examine. You compare how the course approaches leave eligibility with how it introduces the conversation about a workplace accommodation. Later, you see how HR teams review complaint records, personnel files, and policies in an internal audit. If you're new to HR, the course gives you a way to identify what information you need before deciding whether to escalate a workplace issue.

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Course outline

Understanding the US Employment Law Framework

In this module, you'll learn the federal, state, and local structure of US employment law, the roles of the EEOC, DOL, and NLRB, the employment-at-will doctrine and its exceptions, protected classes, covered employer thresholds, and employee versus independent contractor status.

Building Compliant Recruitment and Hiring Practices

In this module, you'll learn to draft compliant job postings, ask lawful interview questions, avoid disparate impact in screening, conduct FCRA-compliant background checks, complete Form I-9 verification, apply ADA considerations in hiring, and manage negligent hiring risk.

Mastering Wage and Hour Compliance

In this module, you'll learn FLSA coverage, exempt versus non-exempt classification, overtime calculation, minimum wage and recordkeeping requirements, independent contractor misclassification risk, the Equal Pay Act, and state wage law variances.

Preventing Workplace Discrimination and Harassment

In this module, you'll learn Title VII and ADEA protections, disparate treatment versus disparate impact, hostile work environment and quid pro quo harassment, employer liability defenses, anti-retaliation rules, and designing harassment prevention training and complaint procedures.

Administering Leave and Accommodation Programs

In this module, you'll learn FMLA eligibility and leave calculation, certification procedures, the ADA interactive accommodation process, undue hardship analysis, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, USERRA military leave, and coordinating state paid leave laws.

Managing Employee Relations and Termination Risk

In this module, you'll learn progressive discipline frameworks, documentation practices, limits on at-will termination, wrongful termination claims, severance agreements, unemployment insurance claims, and WARN Act notice requirements for reductions in force.

Ensuring Workplace Safety and Benefits Compliance

In this module, you'll learn OSHA's general duty clause and injury recordkeeping, workplace safety program design, workers' compensation basics, ERISA and COBRA requirements, HIPAA workplace privacy, and employee monitoring and drug testing policies.

From Compliance Audits to Sustained HR Risk Management

In this module, you'll learn to conduct HR compliance self-audits, respond to EEOC charges and DOL investigations, run internal workplace investigations, maintain personnel file documentation, update policies and handbooks, and build a sustainable compliance roadmap.

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US Employment Law for HR

3.0 Hours

Beginner

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Master in-demand skills & tools

Test your skills with quizzes

Trusted by 10 Million+ Learners globally

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the US Employment Law for HR Course cover?

You study the US legal framework, compliant hiring, wages, discrimination, leave, accommodations, termination, safety, benefits, investigations, agency responses, and HR compliance self-audits.

Is this US employment law course beginner-friendly for HR learners?

Yes. It starts with agency roles, employment at will, protected classes, and worker status before moving through hiring, pay, leave, employee relations, and practical compliance review.

How are federal, state, and local rules explained?

The opening module compares the three levels and introduces EEOC, DOL, and NLRB roles, covered-employer thresholds, and state wage or paid-leave differences that can add requirements.

What lawful hiring practices will HR learners study?

You examine job postings, lawful interview questions, disparate impact in screening, FCRA background checks, Form I-9 verification, ADA hiring considerations, and negligent hiring risk.

Which wage and hour issues are included?

The course covers FLSA coverage, exempt and nonexempt classification, overtime, minimum wage, recordkeeping, Equal Pay Act issues, contractor misclassification, and state variations.

How does the course approach discrimination and harassment?

You learn Title VII and ADEA protections, disparate treatment and impact, hostile work environment, quid pro quo harassment, retaliation, employer defenses, and complaint procedures.

What leave and accommodation processes are covered?

Lessons address FMLA eligibility and certification, the ADA interactive process, undue hardship, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, USERRA military leave, and coordination with state paid leave.

What termination and employee-relations risks are discussed?

You study progressive discipline, documentation, at-will limits, wrongful termination claims, severance agreements, unemployment claims, and WARN Act notice considerations for layoffs.

Does the course include HR audits and investigations?

Use it to organize workplace questions, policies, records, and audit checks, then confirm current requirements and case-specific decisions with qualified legal or compliance professionals.

How can you use this HR law foundation next?

Use this foundation to organize HR questions, policies, records, and audit checks, then confirm current requirements with qualified legal or compliance professionals. before acting.

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