LESSON 11 OUTLINE

Pick a subject that interests you. There are lots of ways to find one. You could, for example, choose a topic related to material that we’ve covered in HRER 811. Possibilities include

the extent to which employers can (or should be able to) mandate private arbitration of employment-related disputes or prohibit employees from filing collective claims;

Title VII and sexual orientation and transgender status;

whether states should be able to enact their own immigration-related laws and the impact of those laws;

the NLRA and employer social media policies (and pitfalls);

trends in public sector labor law; and

labor and employment issues related to globalization of manufacturing and services.

Or you could write about something that we didn’t cover in HRER 811. Potential topics include

employment rights and the lack thereof in the gig economy (think Uber);

proposed regulation of workplace bullying;

the rights of and the challenges posed by veterans who leave and return to the workplace;

the use and potential abuse of unpaid student internships under the FLSA;

drug testing issues for public and private sector employers, especially in states that have legalized the use of marijuana, which remains a controlled substance under federal law;

employers and HIPAA;

the Railway Labor Act, which also covers the airline industry;

the Mine Safety and Health Act;

the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (“Landrum Griffin”);

health insurance continuation under COBRA;

ERISA and 401(k) plans; and

unemployment insurance law.

Keep in mind that these ideas are just examples. Lots of other topics would make for an excellent Seminar Paper. Some students select a topic to help them better understand an issue that’s come up in their workplace or a topic their employer wants them to learn more about. The only requirements are that the topic relates strongly to employment or labor law and that it interests you.

ResearchingConduct your research using the internet, journals, newspapers, the Penn State University Libraries online (including its CCH Cheetah Labor and Employment Law materials), and any other acceptable resources. Make sure to use at least seven resources other than the HRER 811 or HRER 501 reading assignments and textbooks. The School of Labor Studies and Employment Relations does not view Wikipedia as a valid source for academic work.  While it can be a useful tool to find general information on subjects or as a starting point for research, students should not cite Wikipedia as a source in their papers, reports, assignments, and so on.

Here are some websites that may be useful:

The Employment Law Information NetworkLinks to an external site. publishes legal updates prepared by management labor and employment law firms.

OnLaborLinks to an external site.

is a labor law blog written from an employee and union point of view by Harvard Law School professors Benjamin Sachs and Jack Goldsmith.

Cornell Law SchoolLinks to an external site. provides a not-for-profit legal website with information about labor and employment statutes, regulations, and cases.

The

EEOC websiteLinks to an external site.

has information about Title VII and other federal laws administered by that agency.

The

Department of Labor websiteLinks to an external site.

provides information about a variety of labor and employment issues.

The

NLRB websiteLinks to an external site.

has information about its decisions, rules and procedures, and other legal updates.