BLW 456 - Employment and Agency Law
College of Business, Stephen F. Austin State University

Note: This "standard" course syllabus is only a guide. Actual requirements for a particular course and section of this course are described in the course section syllabus, which should be obtained from the course instructor at the beginning of the respective semester. Requirements listed herein are subject to change without notice.

Course: BLW 456 - Employment and Agency Law

Catalog Description: A study of the legal principles which define the relationship between employers and employees including obligations imposed by federal and Texas statutes.

Prerequisites: Junior standing

Course Goals and Objectives: The course focuses on the regulatory environment of the employer-employee relationship in business.

1.  Students will become familiar with the legal terms, concepts, rules, and standards in employment law.

2.  Students will also be able to understand the different types of employment relationships and the sometimes divergent interests of each party involved.

3.  Students will be able to identify employment issues and problems in fact situations and to determine and apply appropriate legal principle(s).

4.  Overall, students will be better prepared to analyze employment situations relative to managerial policies and decisions in the workplace.

Topics/Components:

I.    Regulation of Employment (Including Agency Law, “Employers”, “Employees”, Employment-At-Will Doctrine and Exceptions, Wrongful Discharge and Torts, Employment Contracts, Non-Compete/Non-Disclosure/Non-Solicitation Agreements Alternate Dispute Resolution including arbitration in employment)

II.   Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

IV. Legal Construction of the Employment Environment (including Recruitment, Gathering Information, Testing, Performance Appraisals, Discipline)

V.        Affirmative Action and Race Discrimination

VI.       Gender Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, and Affinity Orientation Discrimination;      

VII.      Religious Discrimination, National Origin Discrimination, and Immigration Laws and Issues

VIII.     Age Discrimination and Disability Discrimination

IX.       The Employee’s Right to Privacy and Management of Personal Information                        

X.        Labor Law

XI.       Occupational Safety and Health (including Workers’ Compensation)          

XII.      Employee Retirement Income Security Act

XIII.     Fair Labor Standards Act

XIV.    International Employment Law 

Other related topics and components may be covered at the discretion of the individual instructor.

Textbook:

(1) Bennett-Alexander & Hartman, Employment Law for Business, Irwin/McGraw-Hill
(Fifth Ed. 2007),

(2) Assigned readings and other materials such as cases and articles to supplement textbook.

Evaluation:

Evaluation consists of four or more exams, which may contain both objective and short answer/essay questions, case analyses and briefing assignments, chapter question/scenario written legal analyses, and light research on current related articles.