The Enforcers

By: Rui KaneyaWhen José L. Oliva comes across a workplace dispute that involves labor-law violations, he typically brings it to the attention of the appropriate state or federal labor enforcement agency. Among them:

U.S. Department of Labor, the Wage and Hour Division
The Wage and Hour Division enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act, which covers a wide range of employment issues, including hours of work, overtime pay, minimum wage and child-labor restrictions. It is also responsible for enforcing the Family and Medical Leave Act, which entitles workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
OSHA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Labor that enforces workplace safety and health regulations.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The EEOC enforces federal fair employment laws, which prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age and disability, and sexual harassment.

National Labor Relations Board
The NLRB enforces the National Labor Relations Act, which gives workers the right to join or refrain from union activity and also forbids employers from retaliating against union organizers.