Many laws have a singular goal: protecting people. They say that every warning sign has a story behind it. Much the same is true with laws. Something happened in the past that put someone at risk, and the law was created as a way to keep that from happening again in the future — thus keeping people safe.
What you’ll find is that different areas of the law that may seem unconnected from the outside are actually related through this goal of offering protection. Two examples are consumer protection laws and employment laws. Let’s break them down a bit more.
Consumer protection laws and business practices
Consumer protection laws are often governed by the Federal Trade Commision (FTC), at times through its Bureau of Consumer Protection. The goal is to keep businesses from using tactics that are “unfair, deceptive and fraudulent.”
For instance, companies could portray unsafe products as safe for consumer use, they could deceive customers about the ways that they can use those products or they could even fraudulently make consumers think that knock-off, low-quality products are the real thing. All of these issues can lead to financial losses for the consumer, and they can also lead to dangerous situations where people may be hurt. Consumers deserve protection in both cases, and companies cannot allow their desire for profit to get in the way.
Employment laws and employee rights
Employment laws, on the other hand, protect the employees from predatory practices by the companies that they work for. Examples of abuse include:
- Misclassifying employees
- Committing wage theft
- Subjecting employees to harassment and discrimination
- Refusing to give equal pay for equal work
- Releasing confidential information
- Failing to provide a safe workplace
Employees need to know that they are valued and that they will be treated well in any job. Just because an employee works for a company doesn’t mean that the owner can do whatever they want. Employee rights have evolved over the years to protect workers.
Do you need legal assistance?
The law is there to protect you, no matter what situation you find yourself in. If you feel that you have been wronged in some way, you must know what legal steps you can take.
