Arizona employment and labor laws are aspects of the Arizona statutes, administrative rules, and the body of common law that regulate employers-workers relationship dynamics. These laws outline the rights, responsibilities, and limitations applicable to users of labor, i.e., employers, and the suppliers of labor, i.e., workers, in the private and public business sectors in Arizona. And while both terms are used interchangeably for work matters, employment and labor laws are distinct in practice.
Arizona Employment Law
Arizona employment law encompasses federal and state rules and regulations on the structure of employment relationships at the individual level, i.e., in non-union workplaces. These laws concern matters such as discrimination, wages, workplace safety, health, pensions and benefits, and workers’ compensation. The common cases that arise under the application or violation of Arizona employment law involve:
- Breach of contract
- Intellectual property right disputes
- Non-compete and non-disclosure agreements
- Trade secrets
- Privacy rights
- Unfair dismissal
- Wages and worker’s compensation
- Unpaid wages and wage garnishment
- Sex discrimination
- Race discrimination
- Age discrimination
- Disability discrimination
- Workplace harassment
- Workplace torts
Arizona Labor Law
Arizona labor law refers to the federal and state rules and regulations on employment relationships at the collective level. These laws allow workers to form unions, regulates the internal structure of unions, and how unions interact with employers for collective bargaining. Unlike Arizona employment law, Arizona labor law leans towards matters such as union organizing, collective negotiations, and bargaining, as well as unfair labor practices. The common cases that arise under the violation or application of Arizona labor laws involve:
- Discrimination and harassment
- Equal employment opportunity
- Family and medical leave
- Minimum wage, overtime, and misclassification
- Unsafe workplace complaints and conditions
- Workers compensation for illness or injury on the job
- Wrongful discharge/termination of employment
Arizona Labor Laws vs. Federal Labour Laws
Arizona state laws on employment and labor are codified in Title 23 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. Congress also enacts federal laws on employment and labor issues in Arizona, and these laws generally take precedence over state laws. However, state laws override federal laws when the provisions under the state law provide a higher or stricter standard of protection to workers, e.g., on child labor and minimum wage. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, but Arizona workers earn based on the state’s minimum wage of $12.15 per hour.
Federal and State Agencies That Enforce Employment and Labor Laws
Generally, before when a dispute arises between employers and workers or unions in Arizona. These agencies are the first line of resolution before the case proceeds to the judiciary.
- State agencies
- Industrial Commission of Arizona (functions as the state department of labor)
- Office of the Attorney General Civil Rights Division
- Arizona Department of Economic Security
- Federal agencies