Discussion 2: “I’m a Human Resource Professional, Why Should I Understand the Law?”
There is no doubt that the role of a HR professional is complex and challenging. Whether you are partnering with leadership to explore new organizational strategies and goals, guiding managers and employees on issues related to performance management, recruiting and hiring new employees or contractors, or helping to solve issues related to everyday challenges in the workplace, you must possess a wide range of knowledge, skills, and dispositions.

When you began this course,

How did you think learning about the legal and regulatory environment might benefit you as an HR professional?
What were your perceptions regarding the relationship between HR and the law?
How have your knowledge and perceptions about HR and the law changed in the past 8 weeks? 


Post a thoughtful and scholarly response based on and supported by resources and research that addresses the following:

Why is it essential that HR professionals understand the legal and regulatory environment?
What are the two to three most important things you learned in this course about the law that will help you be more effective in your role as an HR professional, now or in the future?
How does your current response to the question above differ from when you began the course?
Note: Be sure to clarify your reasoning with examples of situations in the workplace and specific laws that you have learned about throughout the course.

Learning Resources
Required Readings
Note: It is highly recommended that you review the resources in the following order.

Fleischer, C. (2018). The SHRM essential guide to employment law. Alexandria, VA: Society for Human Resource Management.

Chapter 5, “Wage and Hour Requirements”
Overtime
Alternatives to Overtime
Exemptions from Overtime
Settling FLSA Wage Disputes
Note: Only these four sections of the chapter are required.

U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Handy reference guide to the Fair Labor Standards Act. Retrieved September 27, 2019, from https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/hrg.htm

Clarey, K. (2018, October). Back to basics: A newbie’s crash course on the FLSA. Retrieved from https://www.hrdive.com/news/back-to-basics-a-newbies-crash-course-on-the-flsa/540816/

Repa, B. K. (2019). Who is covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act? Retrieved from https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-rights-book/chapter2-2.html

FLSA home page. (n.d.). Coverage under the FLSA. Retrieved October 9, 2019, from https://www.flsa.com/coverage.html

Parks, Chesin, Walbert. (2015, March 27). Can I be fired for having my wages garnished? Retrieved from https://www.pcwlawfirm.com/can-i-be-fired-for-having-my-wages-garnished.html

The People’s Law Library of Maryland. (n.d.). What employers need to know about wage garnishment. Retrieved October 9, 2019, from https://www.peoples-law.org/what-employers-need-know-about-wage-garnishment

NOLO. (n.d.). State laws on wage garnishments. Retrieved October 9, 2019, from https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/employee-rights-book/chapter2-9.html

maxpeople. (n.d.). Why human resource professionals need to know employment law. Retrieved October 9, 2019, from https://maxpeoplehr.com/human-resources-professionals-need-know-employment-law/

Thibodeaux, W. (n.d). The importance of employment laws and compliance with intentions of the laws. Retrieved October 9, 2019, from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-employment-laws-compliance-intentions-laws-12322.html

Optional Resources
Mcllvaine, A. R. (2019, June). Here’s how to avoid legal pitfalls. Human Resource Executive. Retrieved from https://hrexecutive.com/avoiding-legal-pitfalls/