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Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses
[http://www.dol.gov/elaws]
This U.S. Department of Labor site utilizes an interactive system to help employers and employees understand the myriad of employment laws enforced by that agency. To answer questions, the site provides 20 "advisors" designed to imitate interaction with a human expert. Several of the advisors address compliance issues related to Occupational Health and Safety Administration regulations, while the remaining ones provide information on the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Veteran's Employment and Training Service, and laws applicable to affirmative action requirements for federal contractors and subcontractors. Links to other DOL websites, laws, and regulations make this a good resource for current information, technical assistance and compliance.
 

Bureau of Labor Statistics
[http://www.bls.gov/]
This is where to go for statistical information on any aspect of labor and employment. Statistics reported on the site are grouped by category. The "Working and Looking for Work" section, for example, includes figures on national and local employment, employment projections, employment by occupation and, coming early next year, job turnover rates. Under "How Much People Earn," you can find statistics on average hourly earnings, earnings by area and occupation and employee benefits. You also can access thousands of job descriptions compiled by the BLS in its Occupational Outlook Handbook. Another helpful feature of the site is the national compensation survey. In this section, compensation data is presented by state and by occupation, so if you need to know how much administrative support employees are making in a particular location this year, for example, you can find it easily.
 

The Thomas Site
[http://thomas.loc.gov/]
This site, run by the Library of Congress, serves as a gateway to Congress and federal legislation. You can track the legislation, retrieve the text of bills, learn who the sponsors are, and follow the bills' progress through committees. The site also provides contact information for congressional representatives.
 

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
[http://www.eeoc.gov/]
The EEOC website is an excellent source of information on civil rights laws and regulations. Enforcement guidance, portions of the agency's compliance manual (used by EEOC staff to evaluate and process claims), the full text of laws, and frequently asked questions regarding compliance all can be found on the site. Also included is a "Small Business Information" section that highlights such important topics as recordkeeping, reporting requirements and charge processing procedures. In addition, the EEOC uses the site to provide information on its mediation program, a major initiative of the agency.
 

National Conference of State Legislatures
[http://www.ncsl.org/]
For information on state laws and regulations, the NCSL website is a good place to start. Visit the labor and employment section under policy issues for information on state labor laws, school-to-work programs, state-federal relations, and employment laws and legislative activity. Popular issues before state legislatures, such as genetic discrimination and living wages, are often featured in detail.
 

BenefitsLink
[http://www.benefitslink.com/]
This site provides "free compliance information and tools for employee benefit plan sponsors, service-providers, and participants." Benefits information available on this site include: "Benefits Buzz," an at-a-glance update of new articles addressing benefits topics; Question and Answer columns on common benefits issues, such as 401(k) plans, COBRA, ERISA, and HIPAA; and a Message Board, where you can post messages, answer inquiries, or review the messages. The Benefits Products section of the site includes a Yellow Pages of employee benefits services and products, free offers, and downloadable software.
 

Overlawyered.com
[http://www.overlawyered.com/]
The brainchild of Walter Olson, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a policy thinktank, this site chronicles litigation that supports Mr. Olson's opinion that the American civil justice system needs to be reformed. The site is updated regularly and highlights absurd litigation in a number of areas, including several affecting human resources and employment law (see "fear of flirting") and disability and workplace litigation (see "at the workplace"). Each section provides links to articles and resources addressing recent court cases, agency filings, and commentary on the issues. The site also provides an effective critique of the myriad lawsuits that have invaded the workplace and society as a whole.