Labor and Employment Law Research Guide
This guide is a starting point for research in U.S. federal labor and employment covering employment discrimination, disability law, employee benefits, labor arbitration, labor relations, workplace health and safety.
Introduction
This guide is intended as a starting point for research in U.S. federal labor and employment law at Georgetown Law Library. It includes both primary and secondary materials, in both print and electronic formats. Labor and employment law covers employment discrimination, disability law, employee benefits, labor arbitration, labor relations, workplace health and safety.
Treatises, Looseleafs, Casebooks, etc.
Books can be useful places to start your research. You can find a discussion of the law and citations to leading cases and relevant regulations. To locate books (both in print and electronic) on your topic, search Gulliver, the library catalog. For tips on effective search strategies, read our GULLiver guide. A keyword search is usually the best way to start your search for legal treatises. If you want to search by subject heading, try the following subject headings:
- Labor Laws and Legislation - United States
- United States National Labor Relations Board
- Arbitration, Industrial - United States
- Wages - United States
- Hours of Labor - United States
- Discrimination in Employment - Law and Legislation - United States
- Age and Employment - United States
- Affirmative Action Programs - Law and Legislation - United States
- Industrial Safety - Law and Legislation - United States
- Industrial Hygiene - Law and Legislation - United States
Here are some general works on labor and employment law:
-
Employment Law, Mark A. Rothstein (Hornbook Series)
KF3455 .E4681 2005 - Employment Law, Mark A. Rothstein (Practitioner Treatise Series)
KF3455 .E468 2009 - Employment Law in a Nutshell, Robert N. Covington
KF3455.Z9 C68 2009 - Labor and Employment Law, N. Peter Lareau
KF3319 .L37 2003 (Law Library's copy last updated in 2008)
Available on Lexis
This is the most detailed treatise on labor law. - Labor Law in a Nutshell, Douglas L. Leslie
KF3369.3 L39 2008 - Labor Law: Cases and Materials, Archibald Cox et al.
KF3318 .C6 2011 - CCH Labor Relations
Available on Westlaw (CCH-LRR) and CCH IntelliConnect
Compilation of the laws and regulations as well as explanation and analysis in the fields of labor relations, employment regulations, wages, hours, and more.
For books on specific topics within Labor and Employment Law, check relevant sections of this guide.
While Georgetown Law Library has an excellent collection of treatises and journals on labor and employment law, there are some specialized materials that may not be available at Georgetown or books that you need may be checked out. To search for books held by thousands of libraries from across the country, search WorldCat. Items that you locate on WorldCat can be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
Journal Articles
For recent articles, online sources are the most effective. You can use Lexis or Westlaw, for the full text of many (but NOT all) law journals, or you can use online indexes from the Library's homepage to get citations for articles in just about all legal journals. For more information on how to find journal articles, consult our research guide Articles for Legal and Non-Legal Research or our Law Reviews Tutorial.
If you need an article from a journal that the Library does not have, contact the Reference Desk. We can help you find a library that does have it. You can also request the article on Interlibrary Loan.
Major Labor and Employment Law Journals
- Berkeley Journal of Employment and Labor Law
K2 .E74 (Vol. 14-31:1 (1993-2010))
Hein Online - full coverage from vol. 1, 1976
Lexis (BJELL) - coverage from vol. 14, 1993
Westlaw (BERKJELL) - selective coverage from vol. 6 (1984) and full coverage from vol. 15 (1994) - Employee Relations Law Journal
K5 .M64 (from vol. 1, 1975-76) - Employee Rights and Employment Policy Journal
F5 .M653 (from vol. 1, 1997)
Lexis (EREPJ)- coverage from Fall 1997
Westlaw (EREPJ) - full coverage from vol. 1 (1997) - Hofstra Labor & Employment Law Journal (continues Hofstra Labor Law Journal)
K8 .O443 (Vol. 15-27 (1997-2010))
Hein Online - full coverage from vol. 15 (Hofstra Labor Law Journal coverage from vol. 2-14)
Lexis (HLABLJ) - coverage from vol. 11 (Fall 1993)
Westlaw (HOFLELJ) - selective coverage from vol. 2 (1984) and full coverage from vol. 10 (1993) - Industrial and Labor Relations Review
K9 .N35 (from vol. 1, 1947-48)
Hein Online - full coverage from vol. 1, 1947
Lexis (INDLRR) - coverage from January 1997
Westlaw (INDLRR) - selective coverage from vol. 44 (1991) and full coverage from vol. 47 (1994) - CCH Labor Law Journal
K12 .A2 (from 1949-2008 (Vol. 1-59:3))
Westlaw (CCH-LLJRNL)
CCH IntelliConnect (Vol. 49:7, 1998 - ) - University of Pennsylvania Journal of Business Law (formally titled Pennsylvania Journal of Labor and Employment Law, 1998-2007)
K25 .N683 (Vol. 1-9, 1998-2007) (Vol. 11-13, 2008-2010)
Hein Online -full coverage from vol. 1, Fall 1998
Lexis (UPAJLE) - full coverage from vol. 1, 1998
Westlaw (UPAJBL) - full coverage from vol. 1, 1998
Federal Legislation
US Code
- Official and annotated codes in print - KF 62
- Lexis (Legal > Area of Law-By Topic > Labor & Employment > Find Statutes & Regulations > USCS - Labor - Titles 5, 8, 26, 29, 30, 38, 39 and 42)
- Westlaw (FLB-USCA) - Federal Labor & Employment U.S. Code Annotated
- Office of Law Revision Counsel
- Legal Information Institute
- U.S. Department of Labor
Proposed Federal Legislation
- Thomas (for the full text and status of pending and recently enacted legislation, try a word search in the current Congress) Thomas Tutorial
- Lexis (Legal > Legislation & Politics-U.S. & U.K. > U.S. Congress > Congressional Full Text Bills - Current Congress)
- Westlaw (US-BILLTRK)
- CongressDaily
- CQ Weekly
For more information on statutory research, see our Statutes Research Guide or Statutory Research Tutorial.
Federal Legislative History
For many federal labor & employment laws, there are compiled legislative histories available in the Library. These compilations usually include bills, Congressional Record debates, reports and hearings. To find a compiled legislative history, try a keyword search in the Gulliver. You could search for "labor and legislative history". To learn more about legislative history, read our Legislative History Research Guide or watch our Legislative History Tutorial. In addition to our research guide and tutorial, good starting places for legislative history research include:
- ProQuest Congressional, formerly Lexis Nexis Congressional (Proquest Congressional Tutorial)
- Thomas
Agencies
- Department of Labor
For a complete list of agencies under the Department of Labor, see Department of Labor Agencies. Key agencies include- Bureau of Labor Statistics is "an independent national statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data (in the area of labor economics and statistics)"
- Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) is responsible for administering and enforcing the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
- Employment & Training Administration (ETA) administers "federal government job training and worker dislocation programs, federal grants to states for public employment service programs, and unemployment insurance benefit"s
- Mine Safety and Health Administration administers the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) administers the Occupational Safety and Health Act
- Office of Disability Employment Policy "provides national leadership by developing and influencing disability employment-related policies and practices affecting an increase in the employment of people with disabilities"
- Wage and Hour Division enforces wage and hour laws, such as minimum wage and overtime pay
- Federal Labor Relations Authority
- United States National Labor Relations Board
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (U.S. Department of Justice)
- Social Security Administration
- National Mediation Board
Regulations
Code of Federal Regulations
- Print CFR - KF70 .A3
- Lexis (Legal > Areas of Law-By Topic > Labor & Employment > Find Stautes & Regulations > CFR and Federal Register - Labor Titles)
- Westlaw (FLB-CFR) - Federal Labor & Employment - Code of Federal Regulations
- FDsys
- e-CFR
Federal Register
- Print Federal Register - KF70 .A2
- Lexis (Legal > Areas of Law-By Topic > Labor & Employment > Find Statutes & Regulations > CFR and Federal Register - Labor Titles)
- Westlaw (FLB-FR) - Federal Labor & Employment - Federal Register
- FDsys
For more information on researching federal regulations, see our Administrative Law Research Guide or Administrative Law Tutorial.
Court Decisions
- Lexis (Legal > Areas of Law-By Topic > Labor & Employment > Find Cases > Labor & Employment Cases, Federal & State (can choose just federal or state as well)
- Westlaw (FLB-CS) including Supreme Court cases (FLB-SCT), Courts of Appeals Cases (FLB-CTA), and District Court cases (FLB-DCT)
- BNA Labor and Employment Law Library
For more information on finding court decisions, see our Case Law Research Guide and Case Law Tutorial.
Forms and Guidelines
- National Labor Relations Board Forms
- U.S. Department of Labor Compliance Tools Compliance Tools
- Westlaw: Labor and Employment Forms, Treatises, CLEs and Other Practice Material
For more information on locating forms, including forms related to labor and employment law, see our Legal Forms Research Guide.
Facts
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Handbook of U.S. Labor Statistics: Employment, Earnings, Prices, Productivity, and Other Labor Data (HD8051 .H36; Law Library's print subscription cancelled in 2012).
- Monthly Labor Review (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Available in print (HD8051 .A78, July 1918 - 2007) and electronically from 1915 to present.
For more information on finding facts and statistics, including labor and employment statistics, see our Statistics and Empirical Legal Studies Research Guide.
Labor Relations - Private Sector
Major Legislation
- National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act)
- Labor Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley Act)
- Labor Management Cooperation Act
- Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (Landrum-Griffin Act)
Agencies
- National Labor Relations Board
The Web site provides access to NLRB rules and regulations, decisions, press releases, forms, manuals and other publications.
Treatises, Looseleafs, Current Awareness, etc.
- Federal Labor Law: NLRB Practice (KF3372 .M65, Law Library's print cancelled in 2009)
Also available on Westlaw (FEDNLRB)
Looseleaf treatise containing forms; annual supplements
- CCH Labor Relations
Available on Westlaw (CCH-LRR) and CCH IntelliConnect
Judicial and Administrative Decisions
- Decisions and Orders of the National Labor Relations Board (KF3372 .A55, Library's print coverage 1936 - 2010)
- National Labor Relations Board
Search or browse decisions on the NLRB website.
- Court Decisions Relating to the National Labor Relations Act (KF3360 .A2, Library's print coverage 1939-1986)
Also available on HeinOnline
- CCH IntelliConnect (1960 -)
Also available in print in CCH NLRB Decisions (KF3362 .A2 C6; Library's print coverage 1960-2007)
- Labor Cases (KF3310 .A2) (1937-2007, title ceased)
A selective reporter of decisions rendered by federal and state courts.
- BNA Labor and Employment Law Library
NLRB decisions from September 1984 - .
- LexisNexis: Legal > Areas of Law-By Topic > Labor & Employment > Find Administrative Materials > Federal > National Labor Relations Board Decisions (1971 - )
- Westlaw (FLB-NLRB) (1935 -)
NLRB decisions from 1935 - and ALJ decisions from 1990 - .
Labor Relations - Public Sector
Major Legislation
- Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Act (Civil Service Protection Act of 1978)
Agencies
Treatises, Looseleafs, Current Awareness, etc.
- Public Sector Employment: Cases and Materials (2d ed. 2011) (KF3409.P77 G76)
- BNA's Government Employee Relations Report
Available electronically via BNA (1996 - ) and in print (KF3365 .B95; Library's print coverage 1964-2006)
- CCH Labor Relations
Available on Westlaw (CCH-LRR) and CCH IntelliConnect
Judicial and Administrative Decisions
- Decisions of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (KF5365 .A554; Library's print coverage 1979-2010)
- FLRA Webiste: Decisions (1979 - ) (free online)
- Federal Labor Relations Reporter (KF5365 .F43) (print cancelled in December 2009)
- Westlaw: FLB-FLRA
Decisions of the FLRA and FLRA administrative law judges (1979 - )
- LexisNexis: Federal Labor Relations Authority Decision (1979 - )
Labor Arbitration
Treatises, Looseleafs, Current Awareness, etc.
- BNA Labor & Employment Law Library (Labor Arbitration and Collective Bargaining)
- How Arbitration Works (6th ed. 2003) (KF3424 .E53)
Available on Bloomberg Law
- Labor and Employment Arbitration in a Nutshell (2d ed. 2007) ( KF3425 .N641)
- Labor and Employment Arbitration (2d ed) (KF3424 .L3) (print cancelled in 2007)
Available on Lexis: Labor & Employment Arbitration
- Employment Arbitration Law & Practice
Available on Westlaw (EMPARB)
Judicial and Administrative Decisions
- CCH Labor Arbitration Awards (KF3423 .C58 & KF 3423 .C579; 1961-2008, print cancelled)
- CCH IntelliConnect (1987 - )
- Westlaw (CCH-LAA)
- BNA Labor Arbitration Reports (KF3421 .A2; 1946 - )
- BNA Labor & Employment Law Library (Sept. 1979 - )
- Westlaw (LA-COMB) (Published decisions from 1979 and unpublished decisions from 1988)
- LexisNexis: BNA Labor Arbitration Decisions (Published decisions from 1979 and unpublished decisions from 2003)
- Westlaw: Search domestic and international arbitration awards easily by adding the "Arbitration" tab (Click "Add a tab" in the upper right > Click "Add Westlaw Tabs" > Select Arbitration > Click "Add to My Tab Set")
- LexisNexis: Arbitration Materials
Discrimination
Major Legislation
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Equal Pay Act
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act
- Rehabilitation Act
- Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Agencies
Treatises, Looseleafs, Current Awareness, etc.
- Lex Larson, Employment Discrimination (2d ed) (KF3464 .L37)
Also available on Lexis (Larson on Employment Discrimination)
- Henry H. Perritt, Jr., Americans with Disabilities Act Handbook (4th ed. 2003) (KF3469 .P47; print cancelled with 2012 supplement)
- EEOC Compliance Manual (KF3464.A58 C6) (print cancelled in 2008)
Available on the EEOC Website (free online)
- Harold S. Lewis, Jr. & Elizabeth J. Norman, Employment Discrimination Law and Practice (2d ed. 2004) (KF3464 .L487)
- Charles A. Sullivan, Employment Discrimination: Law and Practice (4th ed. 2009) (KF3464 .S92)
- Employment Discrimination Coordinator
Available on Westlaw (EDC)
- BNA Labor & Employment Law Library (Discrimination Law)
- Thomas R. Haggard, Understanding Employment Discrimination (2d ed. 2008) (KF3464 .H34)
Judicial and Administrative Decisions
- EEOC Decisions
- Westlaw (FLB-EEOC) (Private sector, April 1994 - ; Public sector, July 1969 - )
- LexisNexis
- EEOC: Federal Sector Appellate Decisions (July 2000 - ; "some decisions not currently available")
- BNA Labor & Employment Law Library
- Americans with Disabilities Cases (BNA) (1993 - ) (KF3469 .A512)
- Employment Practices Decisions (CCH) (1971 - ) (KF3464 .A6 E46)
Federal and state court decisions cumulated from Labor Law Reports: Employment Practice "Court Decisions" (KF3464 .A6 C6)
- CCH IntelliConnect
Employment practices decisions (1937 - )
- Fair Employment Practice Cases (BNA) (1969 - ) (KF3464 .A514)
Recent cases can be found in volumes seven and nine of the Labor Relations Reporter (KF3315 .B95)
- The Digest of Equal Employment Opportunity Law (EEOC) (1998- )
Wage and Hour
Major Legislation
Treatises, Looseleafs, Current Wareness, etc.
- CCH Labor Law Reporter: Wages and Hours (Volumes 1 & 2) (KF3365 .C5 L2)
Also available on CCH IntelliConnect
- BNA Labor Relations Reporter: Wage and Hour Manual (volumes 6 & 6A) (KF3315 .B95)
Also available in the BNA Labor and Employment Law Library
- Wage and Hour Law: Compliance and Practice
Available on Westlaw (WHLCP)
- Laurie E. Leader, Wages and Hours: Law and Practice
Available on LexisNexis (Wages and Hours: Law and Practice)
Judicial and Administrative Decisions
- Wage and Hour Cases (BNA) (1942 - ) (KF3485 .A2 W3)
Recent Wage and Hour Cases can be found in BNA Labor Relations Reporter: Wages and Hours Cases (Volume 5) (KF3315 .B95)
- CCH Labor Law Reporter: Wages and Hours (Volume 2) (KF 3365 .C5 L2)
Also available on CCH IntelliConnect
- BNA Labor & Employment Law Library
OSHA
Major Legislation
Treatises
- Occupational Safety and Health Act
Available on LexisNexis (Occupational Safety and Health Act)
- Occupational Safety and Health Law: Compliance and Practice
Available on Westlaw (OSHCP)
- Occupational Safety and Health Reporter (BNA) (KF3568.4 .B95)
Available electronically via BNA (1996 - )
- Employment Safety and Health Guide (CCH) (KF3568.4 .C6) (print updates cancelled in 2002)
Available on CCH IntelliConnect
Judicial and Administrative Decisions
- CCH Occupational Safety and Health Decisions (1971-2001) (KF3568.3 .A2 C6)
- Occupational Safety and Health Cases (BNA) (KF3568.4 .B95)
- BNA Labor & Employment Law Library (Occupational Safety)
- U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
ALJ decisions from 1993 and final commission decisions from 1972.
Other Useful Web Sites
- ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law
- National Employment Lawyers Association
- AFL-CIO
- Labor Research Association
LRA is a New York based non-profit organization that provides research and education services for trade unions. The web site provides labor news, blogging, and links to their reports, articles, data, and the like.
- Employment Law Information Network
An employment law portal which provides links to employment law-related federal and state resources, including full-text articles.
Updated 5/2013 (ET)
Revised 12/2007 (MK)
Updated 3/2011 (MS)
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