Non-Discrimination Rights
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal for businesses to discriminate based on “race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), or national origin.” Additional laws and Supreme Court decisions further strengthened these provisions by extending protections to LGBTQ and Transsexual individuals, as well as prohibiting wage discrimination against women and minorities. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act protects applicants and employees 40 years of age or older from discrimination based on age.
Disability Accommodations
The Americans with Disabilities Act protects qualified individuals from discrimination on the basis of disability in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, fringe benefits, job training, classification, referral, and other aspects of employment. Disability discrimination includes not making reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or employee, barring undue hardship.
Family Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for the birth or adoption of a child, or in cases of serious personal or family member illness. To receive FMLA benefits, one must have been with the company for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours during the past year. The law only applies to businesses that employ at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius.
Minimum Wage
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ensures that American workers receive a minimum wage for their work. The Federal minimum wage, which the State of Georgia follows, is $7.25 per hour.
OSHA Standards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the primary responsibility for enforcing numerous safety provisions, including industry-specific guidelines for construction, maritime, and agricultural jobs. OSHA is responsible for protecting the rights of employees who speak up about dangerous conditions in the workplace. However, workers must file complaints with their local OSHA office within 30 days of an incident.
GA Health Care Exchange Coverage – self paid
The Affordable Care Act requires that companies with 50 or more full-time workers offer a minimal level of health insurance—or pay a penalty. To qualify as a “full-time” employee, an individual must work at least 30 hours a week on average. For the 2021 enrollment period, the Georgia State Health Exchange is offering different levels of health insurance coverage for rates that range anywhere from $200 to $500 per month.
Social Security
The Social Security Act provides retired and disabled Americans with a financial safety net, funded through a payroll tax paid equally by workers and employers. Currently, about 64 million people receive Social Security checks each month. In Georgia, the average monthly benefit amount is approximately $1,400.
