A Guide to Rhode Island Employment Law
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About This Guide

About This Guide

This second edition of A Rhode Island Guide to Employment Law - like the first edition - represents the collective and collaborative efforts and contributions of many people. We are indebted to the assistance of the staff of the Institute for Labor Studies and Research. In addition, many attorneys and government officials have contributed to the writing and editing of this book. Below is a list of people who have contributed to the manual in significant ways.

We are particularly indebted to the Bureau of Labor Education of the University of Maine for giving us permission to use their Maine Guide to Employment Law as the model for this manual. We have, with their permission, borrowed heavily from their guide, both in format and in content.

We use the question-and-answer format in the belief that it enables us to present complex employment laws and issues in easy-to-understand language. Our objective is to provide important legal information on employee rights, responsibilities, and protections in the workplace.

 

Attorneys and others knowledgeable about these laws, along with government officials responsible for enforcing these statutes, have reviewed this publication for legal sufficiency, accuracy, and clarity. However, employment law is a body of law that constantly changes through legislative and congressional actions and decisions derived from both judicial and administrative rulings. Therefore, it is particularly important to consult appropriate authorities regarding any developments in these laws. Also, since this book is only a guide, it cannot in any way be substituted for competent legal advice, which can be obtained from attorneys, state and federal government officials, and leaders of employee organizations.

 

While we have attempted to be accurate and have everything double-checked, we may have made some errors or omissions. We would appreciate your comments, criticisms, feedback, and questions so that we can improve the guide for future editions or updates. Comments, etc. should be emailed to: Charles Schwartz ( charlesvschwartz@att.net ) or John Leidecker ( JohnLeidecker@aol.com ).

 

Finally, we wish to acknowledge the following individuals whose consultation, review, and information were extremely helpful in the 2004 revision of this publication:

 

Steven Brown, Rhode Island Affiliate, American Civil Liberties Union
Matt Carey, Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training

Jim Celenza, Rhode Island Committee on Occupational Safety and Health

Gerard Cobleigh, Esq.
Catherine O'Reilly Collette, Institute for Labor Studies and Research

Michael D. Evora, Esq., Director, Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights

Michael Felsen, Esq., U.S. Department of Labor, ERISA

Robyn Golden, Acting Administrator, Rhode Island State Labor Relations Board
John M. Harnett, Esq.

Cynthia Hiatt, Esq., Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights

Michael Lynch, Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Workers' Compensation Unit
Maryann Medeiros, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration

George Nee, Secretary-Treasurer, Rhode Island AFL-CIO

Louis Rainone, Vice President, Community College of Rhode Island/ACE
James Reinbold, Institute for Labor Studies and Research

Richard Sansone, U.S. Department of Labor
Charles Schwartz, Executive Director, Institute for Labor Studies and Research

Jeanette Woolley, Assistant Executive Director, NEARI