SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY
COURSE SYLLABUS
Department of Management & Marketing
Title of Course: Legal & Union Issues in Human Resources
I.
Date: Spring 2010
Course No.: MG566
Catalog Description and Credit Hours of Course:
Covers the human resources activities topics of employment law and labor relations. Emphasis is placed on
the impact of case law and union activity on organizations. (3)
II.
Prerequisite(s): MG356 with a minimum grade of ‘C’ or MBA Program admission or consent of instructor.
III.
Purposes or Objectives of the Course:
A.
B.
C.
D.
IV.
Develop an understanding of how legal and regulatory issues affect the ability of an organization
to maximize the effectiveness of its employees’ human capital.
Develop an understanding of the history and current status of labor unions in the United States.
Develop an understanding of the importance of employment law and labor relations to other
functional areas of the organization, and their critical impact on overall organizational success.
Understand important aspects of acquiring information and presenting it in oral and written
formats.
HCB Assurance of Learning (BSBA)
All faculty members in the Department of Management and Marketing are committed to upholding certain
learning objectives for their students in accordance with AACSB accreditation standards. As such, the
courses students take in this department seek to meet at least one or more of the following objectives as part
of the BSBA degree. Objectives directly pertaining to this course are marked with an asterisk:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
V.
Expectations of Students:
A.
B.
C.
VI.
Proficiency in written and oral communications*
Demonstrated effective use of technology
Demonstrated awareness and understanding of other cultures
Demonstrated knowledge of the fundamentals of business disciplines*
Demonstrated critical thinking skills involving business and ethics*
To participate in all class activities, experiential exercises, and discussions in an involved and
active manner.
To complete all external assignments (e.g., writing assignments, reading assignments, term paper,
etc.) required for the course.
To complete all required quizzes, projects, and examinations (including a final examination)
during the semester.
Course Content or Outline:
A.
Introduction
1.
Course topics and issues
2.
The Complexity of HR
B.
Employment Law
1.
Common Law Issues
3 hours
6 hours
2.
3.
C.
VII.
a.
Employment Contracts
b.
Wrongful Discharge
c.
Workplace Torts
EEOC
a.
Race Discrimination
b.
Gender & Family Issues
c.
Religion & National Origin Discrimination
d.
Age & Disability Discrimination
Miscellaneous Employment Law Issues
a.
Occupational Health & Safety (OSHA)
b.
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
c.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
d.
Employee Welfare Programs
e.
Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Labor Relations
1.
Development & Legalization of Unions
a.
History
b.
Labor Law
1)
Sherman Anti-Trust Act
2)
Davis-Beacon Act
3)
Norris-La Guardia Act
4)
Wagner Act (aka National Labor Relations Act)
5)
Walsh-Healy Act
6)
Taft-Hartley Act
7)
Landrum Griffin Act
c.
The Unionization Process
1)
Bargaining Units & Representation Elections
2)
Collective Bargaining & Strikes
3)
Enforcement & Administration of the Contract
4)
Rights of Union Members
9 hours
9 hours
3 hours
9 hours
6 hours
Textbook(s) and/or Other Required Materials or Equipment:
The course will use a current textbook or current textbooks and/or collection of articles and other materials.
Some possible examples are:
A.
Textbook
Cihon, P.J., & Castagnera, J.O. (2008). Employment & labor law. (6th Ed.). South-Western.
B.
Supplemental Readings
1.
2.
3.
4.
C.
VIII.
HRMagazine
SHRM Legal Issues
Workforce.com
U.S. Department of Labor Website (http://dol.gov)
Other readings as required by the instructor.
Basis for Student Evaluation:
A.
B.
C.
Participation in and completion of assignments that must be completed outside the classroom, as
well as class-based exercises, cases, simulations, and other projects
Term paper/report and/or other miscellaneous assignments required by the instructor
Quizzes, projects, examinations (including a final examination)
D.
Graduate students enrolled in the class will be required to complete an additional paper on a topic
of their choice related to legal and/or union issues in human resources.
The weight of the evaluation criteria may vary according to each instructor and will be communicated at
the beginning of the course.
IX.
X.
Grading Scale
Undergraduate students:
Graduate students:
90% - 100% = A
80% - 89% = B
70% - 79% = C
60% - 69% = D
0% - 59% = F
90% - 100% = A
80% - 89% = B
70% - 79% = C
0% - 69% = F
Academic Policy Statement
Students will be expected to abide by the University Policy for Academic Honesty regarding plagiarism
and academic honesty. Refer to: http://www6.semo.edu/stuconduct/
XI.
Students with Disabilities
If a student has a special need addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and requires
materials in an alternative format, please notify the instructor at the beginning of the course. Reasonable
efforts will be made to accommodate special needs.