We hear a lot about "protected groups," but what does this mean? While an exhaustive list of all protected groups is beyond the scope of this article, the most common are discussed, and they generally apply to job applicants and existing employees alike.

While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to all businesses with 15 or more employees, this handbook is intended primarily for businesses with 15 to 100 employees and smaller businesses expecting to expand to have at least 15 employees in the near future. It will provide you with an easy-to-read, overview of the basic employment provisions of the ADA as they relate to employees and job applicants.

The FairPay Web site is designed to help you understand the DOL's new FairPay rules that strengthen overtime protections. The effective date of the regulations is August 23, 2004.

Employment Discrimination laws seek to prevent discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, physical disability, and age by employers. This article contains a partial list of the federal and state statutes that compose the main body of employment discrimination laws.