Many _____ were enacted to streamline industries so that they provide better work conditions for the workers.
One major reason why employee benefits have become such a significant part of the compensation structure is the evolution of the legal environment. Political, social, and economic pressures morphed into legal protection through the passage of many landmark laws that dictated the incidence and the terms and conditions of mandated benefits. Business, labor concerns, and technological innovations all added to the impetus to provide job security and protection.
Between 1900 and 1950, most of the major legally imposed workplace employee benefits were enacted. These major legislative efforts culminated into the Social Security Act of 1935. In the realm of wage and hour laws, both the Walsh-Healy Act of 1936 and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 saw the light of day. By 1950, minimum wage laws had been put in place; further, unemployment and workers’ compensation laws were enacted in most state.