Objectives
HR Law Online aims to:
Legal
- Provide an understanding of the laws and regulations that govern the field of HR
- Promote a deeper understanding of the legislative, judicial and administrative agency context of human resources law
- Teach the skills and knowledge necessary to identify the legal aspects of human resource issues and address those issues in an ethical manner within diverse contexts
- Enhance awareness of when human resource legal knowledge and authority is required for problem-solving
- Raise awareness of emerging trends and issues in human resource law (e.g., artificial intelligence; #MeToo movement)
Professional
- Build proficiency and skills for managing workplace conflict
- Improve communication and presentation skills
- Facilitate peer-to-peer learning and networking opportunities with other legal professionals (including employment law attorneys)
Core Courses
Each course in HR Law Online awards three graduate-level credits, and all but the last are completed in eight weeks. The program starts in August of each year. Each year’s cohort takes four core courses that provide a strong foundation and clear understanding of HR law. After completing the core courses, students choose electives in areas for study in greater depth.
Introduction to the Legal System for Human Resources: Hiring and Firing (3 credits)
- US Legal System
- Job classification
- Job selection and hiring
- Employment contracts
- Job termination
Wages, Hours, and Benefits (3 credits)
- Fair Labor Standards Act
- Recordkeeping
- Employee benefits
Working Conditions (3 credits)
- Occupational Safety and Health Act
- Workers’ compensation laws
- Employee handbooks and codes of conduct
- Employee privacy
- Labor-management relations
Anti-Discrimination Law (3 credits)
- Federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws
- Protected classes of employees
- Employment discrimination enforcement mechanisms
- Categories of employee discrimination claims
- Selected Topics in Human Resources Law (3 credits)
Selected Topics in Human Resources Law (3 credits)
Students select multiple seminars to customize their substantive focus in which they delve more deeply into one of the topics previously covered.