first workers' compensation law in the united states
Workers' compensation The first statewide workers' compensation law was passed in Maryland in 1902, and the first law covering federal employees was passed in 1906.[32] (See: FELA, 1908; FECA, 1916; Kern, 1918.) By 1949, every state had enacted a workers' compensation program.[33]
United States labor law A contract of employment can always create better terms than statutory minimum rights. But to increase their bargaining power to get fair terms, employees organize labor unions for collective bargaining. The Clayton Act of 1914 guarantees all people the right to organize,[5] and the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 creates rights for most employees to organize without detriment through unfair labor practices. Under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959, labor union governance follows democratic principles. If a majority of employees in a workplace support a union, employing entities have a duty to bargain in good faith. Unions can take collective action to defend their interests, including withdrawing their labor on strike. There are not yet general rights to directly participate in enterprise governance, but many employees and unions have experimented with securing representation on corporate boards.