Labor and Employment Law

This course will introduce students to the fundamentals of law governing labor relations and employee rights in the workplace. The course begins with an examination of the major areas of law as they apply to workers and unions. Topics covered will include the National Labor Relations Act, employee representation, the grievance process, labor's right to organize, the ground rules for collective bargaining, legal aspects of strikes, Weingarten rights, obligation to bargain, and the duty of fair representation. The second part of the course will focus on employment rights at the workplace including statutes regarding discrimination, family medical leave, and workplace privacy. Students will debate and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of labor law in terms of protections for workers and workers' rights and will discuss potential reform of current law.