Labor & Employment Law

Discover a wealth of career options in workplace law

The law regulating workplace relationships is an area of special emphasis and expertise at Ohio State's Moritz College of Law. The subject matter is itself impressively comprehensive in scope. From the standpoint of a typical individual engaged in the workforce, labor and employment law structures the entire life cycle. Beginning with child labor statutes and running through age discrimination and pension laws, the law has something to say on nearly every issue confronting employees during their working years — wages, hours, fringe benefits, safety and health, job security, discrimination, and employee privacy.

At the Moritz College of Law, students study labor and employment law with faculty who enjoy national reputations for their scholarship in this important public policy area. Students engaged in the critical analysis of constitutional, statutory, and common law issues are encouraged to confront complex and controversial public policy problems.

Employment and labor courses are essential for students who want to pursue the rich array of specialized professional options available at the local, state, and national levels. Moritz Law graduates have gone on to represent unions, individual workers, private employers, federal and state government agencies, and public interest organizations active in this field.

The core courses are Labor Law, Employment Law, and Employment Discrimination Law. All three core courses deal with fundamental aspects of the law relating to the workplace, and students who expect to work in the field should take all three. Labor Law addresses the relationship between employers and workers who act collectively through a labor union. Employment Law covers state and federal regulation of terms and conditions of employment. Employment Discrimination Law covers the laws protecting employees from "status" discrimination - discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, and sexual orientation.

Advanced course offerings include Professor Colker's course in the Law of Disability Discrimination, Professor Hébert's seminar on Sexual Harassment, Professor Cole's course in Commercial and Labor Arbitration, and Professor Brudney's seminars on Age Discrimination in the Workplace and Comparative Labor Law and Employment Law (the latter focused on developments in Britain and the European Community).

Other related courses include Administrative Law, which provides a helpful background in understanding the workings of federal agencies such as the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Antitrust Law may provide useful perspectives for Labor Law - each regulates collective action, although with distinct goals in mind. The First Amendment course involves exposure to specific workplace-related subjects in a different context. Sports Law deals with one specialized application of Employment Law. Alternative Dispute Resolution courses and the course on Privacy are also increasingly relevant to employer-employee relations.

The Labor and Employment Law Association (LELA), a student organization, fosters a greater understanding of the practice of labor and employment law. Moritz students have an opportunity to learn about the latest developments in this quickly growing field, as well as gain insight into the daily life of a labor and employment practitioner. LELA's main activities consist of guest speakers and networking opportunities.