Labor Law Certificate | Employment Law Survey, Part I—Employment Relations
Class | Registration opens 3/9/2026 12:00 AM CST
Part of the Labor Law Certificate series.
This course will introduce students to essential Constitutional rights, statutes, regulations, and case law related to employment discrimination and employment relations on a macro (federal law) and micro (state and local) level. Part I will focus on employment relations, including the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Illinois Unemployment Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), Disability Rights, Workers Compensation, and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).
- This class is for union members and others involved in the labor movement; it is not for human resources professionals or management-side employees. We are considering adding a series for management, but we do not currently offer one.
Nothing in this certificate program or any individual sub-course is intended to be or should be interpreted as legal advice in any way. Similarly, this certificate program, individual subcourses, and/or the instructor’s curriculum do not create or intend to create any aspect of an attorney-client relationship.
Kay Emmert
Prof. Emmert is a Lecturer in the Labor Education Program, where she teaches labor law, grievance processing, arbitration, collective bargaining, communication and leadership skills to union members, unrepresented workers, and university undergraduates. As Lead Negotiator and bargaining advisor for the Non-Tenure Faculty Coalition at UIUC, she successfully negotiated multiple contracts, securing significant gains in wages, job security, and benefits. An expert in contract research, writing, and enforcement, she develops engaging, real-world curricula that empower workers with the knowledge and skills to advocate for fair labor practices and workplace protections.