A lot has changed in the world of work since the 1930's and yet today's employers are forced to navigate labor laws created more than half a century ago.
At the Connecticut Employment Law Blog he authors and in a column in this week's Connecticut Law Tribune, Daniel Schwartz argues that it's time to start modernizing our workplace laws.
As Daniel puts it...
...in 1935, Babe Ruth retired from baseball. A gallon of gas cost 10 cents. Igor Sikorsky was still working on developing the helicopter in Connecticut. And we were still 10 years away from even ideas like Dick Tracy’s Two-Way Wrist Radio.
It was also the year that Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act. And right around then, Congress also passed the Fair Labor Standards Act.
While he acknowledges the challenges in crafting the necessary bipartisan legislature in our current political environment, he also shares ideas for and urges action to get the right steps in motion.
Be sure to click through and read Daniel's thoughts in their entirety.
Image: Courtesy of gjackson.us
The real bad news is that employers violate a the fair labor standards act that has been in force since 1930. The employment relationship should not be based on trying to pay as little as possible. The difference in your business is the people. Their level of engagement is what makes your business thrive.
Posted by: Rick Rossignol | February 01, 2011 at 09:28 PM
Thanks for the shoutout. As I say, it's time to start a discussion on this issue.
Posted by: Dan Schwartz | February 02, 2011 at 09:19 AM
Rick:
I think most of us would agree on the importance of paying people appropriately as well as the critical role employees play in the success of any business. I think that characterizing labor law compliance as merelying trying to pay as little as possible, however, may be way oversimplifying the compliance challenge that these dated laws present us in this new - and rapidly evolving - world of work. I appreciate the comment and perspective, though.
Dan:
You're welcome - happy to play our role in getting the conversation going!
Posted by: Ann Bares | February 03, 2011 at 09:51 AM