Government bodies regulate equal employment opportunity and workplace safety and health. There are major laws affecting employers in these areas, as well as the agencies charged with enforcing those laws. Organizations can develop practices that ensure they are in compliance with the laws.

Managers often want a list of dos and don’ts that will keep them out of legal trouble, rather than learning the reasons behind those rules. Clearly, certain practices are illegal or at least inadvisable. Managers who merely focus on how to avoid breaking the law are not thinking about how to be ethical.

All three branches of the U.S. government play an important role in creating the legal environment for human resources. The legislative branch, which consists of the two houses of Congress, has enacted a number of laws governing human resource activities. U.S. senators and representatives generally develop these laws in response to perceived societal needs. For example, during the civil rights movement of the early 1960s, Congress enacted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to ensure that various minority groups received equal opportunities in many areas of life.

The executive branch, including the many regulatory agencies that the president oversees, is responsible for enforcing the laws passed by Congress. Some federal agencies involved in regulating human resource management include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In addition, the president may issue executive orders, which are directives issued solely by the president, without requiring congressional approval.

The judicial branch, the federal court system, influences employment law by interpreting the law and holding trials concerning violations. Decisions made by the Supreme Court are binding and are overturned only through laws passed by Congress. The Civil Rights Act of 1991 was partly designed to overturn Supreme Court decisions.