Small Business Toolbox

A library of business management info


Small Business and the Department of Labor The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster and promote the welfare of U.S. job seekers, wage earners and retirees by improving working conditions, advancing their opportunities for profitable employment, protecting retirement and health-care benefits, helping employers find workers, and strengthening free collective bargaining.
  • President Signs New Law to Expand Number of Workers Considered Disabled Americans
    10/10/2008
    President Bush recently signed a bill into law that will greatly expand the number of workers considered disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 is designed to enlarge coverage by overturning a series of U.S. Supreme Court cases, which limited the number of persons who could demonstrate they were disabled. The amendments passed with strong support from both parties.
  • Family and Medical Leave Act Expanded for Military Families
    07/02/2008
    The recently expanded Family and Medical Leave Act provides two new types of military FMLA leave: Qualifying exigency leave and service member family leave.
  • Summertime Employment Help: What You Need to Know
    06/20/2008
    Every summer, many businesses look to bolster their workforce by hiring students on summer break. This can be a valuable opportunity for teens to not only get some hard-earned cash, but to learn important job skills. Instilling these skills in young workers helps ensure a quality workforce down the line. For employers, along with the benefits of the additional labor, teens today have increased spending power, and hiring them can help build consumer loyalty.
  • New Form I-9 Reduces Documentation Required for Employment Eligibility
    11/26/2007
    On Nov. 7, 2007, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a new Form I-9—the document all employers must complete to verify employees' employment eligibility. Employers should download the new form, note the form's changes (also discussed below) and begin using the new form immediately.
  • Show of Support
    11/09/2007
    November 11 took on storied meaning when the armistice ending World War I went into effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. In the words of President Wilson, November 11 has since been a day to reflect "with solemn pride on the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of nations …"
  • Methamphetamine in the Workplace: What You Should Know
    10/15/2007
    Methamphetamine is a dangerous, highly addictive drug that has emerged as a serious problem across the nation. A derivative of amphetamine, it is a powerful stimulant that affects the central nervous system.
  • How to Survive a Labor Union Organizing Campaign
    08/10/2007
    A labor union organizing campaign can mean a lot of stress and headaches for small-business owners. Owners, managers and supervisors are all under special obligations not to unduly interfere with an organizing effort. Failure to follow these rules could mean legal trouble with the National Labor Relations Board. Faced with these restrictions, it might seem like there's little you can do to fight a campaign. Not so. Employers can communicate to their employees the disadvantages of union membership, including the financial costs and potential for work-related loss from strikes or picket lines.
  • Dealing With Government Agencies Online
    07/30/2007
    There are probably times when you do an online search for a company or product, and you come across a single Web page. Contact information is listed but nothing else. That's great if all you were looking for is a phone number to call.
  • Know the Rules Before Hiring Young Workers
    06/29/2007
    Many businesses look forward to the end of the school year almost as much as students. Why? Because these companies see teenagers with three months of free time as a good match for summer job openings.
  • Understanding the New Federal Minimum Wage
    05/31/2007
    On May 25, 2007, President George W. Bush signed into law the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007. This legislation will raise the current minimum wage of $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour by July 2009, in three phases.
  • Medical Leave: Reconciling FMLA Leave With the ADA
    03/15/2007
    Many small-business owners have less than 50 employees, and therefore, are not subject to the federal Family Medical Leave Act. Nevertheless, there may be other laws besides the FMLA to be considered, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, before deciding to grant or deny requests for medical leave. To better understand the nuts and bolts of federal law, employers must break down the demands that arise from the intersection of the FMLA and the ADA, since both require a covered employee to be granted medical leave in certain circumstances.
  • Drug-Free Work Week Offers Opportunity to Promote Safe, Healthy Workplaces
    10/13/2006
    America's businesses have a strong influence on societal norms, attitudes and behavior and can play a powerful role in promoting positive change in their communities. This is especially true for the nation's small businesses, which are often an integral part of their communities' social fabric.
  • OSHA's Standard Interpretation Letters
    06/01/2006
    If you have visited the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Web site at www.osha.gov, you know that it includes a number of resources to help small businesses comply with workplace safety and health regulations. These resources range from pocket-sized Quick Cards to comprehensive eTools that provide detailed information on specific industries or workplace safety and health issues.
  • Good Question
    05/25/2006
    Can you ask a potential employee if he's ever had a heart attack? No, and small-business owners looking to cut health-care costs by screening potential hires for health problems during interviews ought to look elsewhere.
  • Youth Employment: Expanded Protections for Youth Working in Cooking, Roofing and Driving
    05/04/2006
    On Dec. 16, 2004, the Department of Labor’s Employment Standards Administration’s Wage and Hour Division published final regulations implementing changes to employment rules for youth. The final rules, which became effective on Feb. 14, 2005, expand protections for youth working in restaurant cooking, roofing, driving and other areas.
  • Helping Small Businesses Benefit From Being Drug-Free
    05/01/2006
    Workplace drug and alcohol abuse compromises the ability of any business, especially a small business, to be profitable, productive and safe. More than three-quarters of individuals who use illicit drugs are employed, and when they arrive for work, they don’t leave their problems at home. Some of the costs—increased accidents, absences and errors—are obvious. Other costs like low employee morale are less obvious, but their effects are equally harmful.
  • Small-Business Employment Law Guide
    11/03/2005
    A free publication from the U.S. Department of Labor helps small-business employers understand their rights and responsibilities under federal employment laws. The Employment Law Guide summarizes DOL’s most widely applicable laws.
  • Reviewing the Basics of Employment Eligibility Verification: Form I-9 Compliance
    10/21/2005
    Most small-business owners know that federal law requires employers to verify a new employee’s identity and eligibility to work on the federal I-9 form. While the I-9 form has changed little since 1991, questions still arise about its requirements.
  • Labor Department Information
    09/04/2004
    Contact information for the Labor Department and links to several programs that deal with small-business owners and their needs within the Labor Department.
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration
    09/04/2004
    The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's goal is to ensure worker safety and health by working with employers, both big and small, and their employees to create healthier working environments.
  • Wage and Hour Division
    09/04/2004
    The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor oversees and enforces some of our nation’s most comprehensive labor laws, including the minimum wage, overtime and child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, worker protections, and the prevailing wage requirements.