Three Main Laws Related to Employee’s Rights

The three laws that are related to employee’s rights that I found are Minimum Wage, Health Coverage, and Social Security Benefits. Minimum Wage started in 1938 by the US labor law and local law. Minimum wage starts at 7.25 per hour usually people make that much money at local supermarkets or any other businesses. In 2018 they have increased the wages to 11.79 per hour. I believe in the next couple of years the wages will continue to increase. The law offers protection for minors at the age of 16 and under the age of 14 with a valid permit to work at the state that they are living in. In the state of Philadelphia Pennsylvania where I’m from the minimum wage are 12.20 per hour. Currently the mayor of Philadelphia wants to increase the minimum wage to 15.00 per hour due to a lot of issues occurring in Philadelphia such as cost of living and daily expenses.

There are a couple of unlawful compensation practices such as wrongful termination, mistakes with FMLA, employment decimation, and failing to compensate workers for overtime. I think that it’s a good thing that the government is increasing the minimum wages it will definitely help us individually.

Health Coverage has an affordable care act that was passed in 2010. This will help with health insurance for workers at medium and larger sized businesses. An Employee must work at least total of 30 hours a week full time. There is a legal entitlement to reimbursement for health care cost. It’s very important that you understand and know the difference between Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is for people that are 65 and older or a person that is disabled and it is also known as eligible special needs. Medicaid is for people that have families with low income. People that are self-employed may quality for individual coverage that will fit for your budget. For children if your child does not have health insurance then CHIP (Children Health Insurance Programs) will cover it up to little cost or no cost at all. When picking out insurance its best to pick the one that fit you and you lifestyle.

There are different types of health plans and they are HMO (Health maintenance organizations), PPO (Preferred provider organizations), EPO (Exclusive provider organizations), POS (Point of service), and HDHPs (High deductible health plans). HMO is a network of health care providers and facilities; you are allowed to choose your health care providers. PPO is similar to HMO except you do not have to get a referral from your primary doctor and it’s a very popular type of plans that people and families chooses. EPO are out of network benefits. POS are a type of managed care health insurance in the United States. HDHPs are high deductible health plan. There are different types of coverage plans such as Keystone, Aetna, United health community plan etc. Not everyone has to pay co-pay when going to the doctors or even the hospital. Generally for those who don’t have to pay co-pay is the ones that are on county assistant by the government. I feel that it is a good thing that some people in the United States have health insurance.

Social Security Benefits has different types of benefits such as Disability, Retirement, Dependents, and Survivors. Retirements are for those who worked over a certain amount of years and you can retire at the age of 66, but you can start your retire at the age of 62 and you have to work over or at least 10 years. If you retire at a later age between 68 or even 70 than you retire can increase. For disability benefits you must show as much evidence as possible to receive disability. If you haven’t reached to retirement age but you meet the requirements you are able to receive social security. As far as dependents if you are a spouse of a retire, disabled worker any children that disability you will be entitled to receive social security. Survivors are the same as dependents, but it depends on the deceased spouse earnings. I would like to add that for same sex spouses will be eligible but they have to show proof of marriage licenses and it has to be valid.

People think that SSI and SSA is the same thing but they are not they are two different things. SSA is benefits that are based on earnings. SSI is for benefits based on needs. Social Security is funded by payroll taxes assessed on wages in the United States. Employee’s pays 6.2% of their income and self-employees pay 12.4% of their income. I’m going to show you a picture of how social security is funded. Social Security is very much worth it for anyone with disability, retirement, dependents, and survivors.