What is the difference between labor laws and employment laws?
Labor laws and employment laws are two distinct but related sets of laws in California. Labor laws are essentially laws that protect workers’ rights in the workplace. They are most often enacted by the federal or state government, and they include the right to receive a minimum wage, overtime pay, fair working hours, and protections against workplace discrimination and harassment. Employment laws, on the other hand, are enacted by both the federal and state governments and govern the legal relationship between employers and employees. These laws regulate things such as hiring and firing processes, employee benefits and compensation, employee privacy, workplace safety, and leaves of absence. In short, labor laws are mainly focused on setting and protecting the rights of employees, while employment laws are focused on the relationship between the employer and employee. Both sets of laws play an important role in providing workers with rights and protections in the workplace, but these rights and protections are set out in different laws and enforced by different government agencies.
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