Let’s go back to 1935. You remember that time, right? 

Well, in 1935, Babe Ruth retired from baseball. A gallon of gas cost 10 cents. Igor Sikorsky was still working on developing the helicopter in Connecticut. And we were still 10 years away from even ideas like Dick Tracy’s Two-Way Wrist Radio.

It was also the year that Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act.  And right around then, Congress also passed the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

It was a long time ago.

In this week’s Connecticut Law Tribune, I’ve penned a column that suggests that its time to start modernizing our workplace laws.  While new legislation may be too ambitious right now, holding hearings and beginning a discussion of what the next generation of employment laws might look like would be a good first step.

Rather than repeat the arguments there, feel free to add your comments on what aspect of our patchwork of employment laws could use a renovation.  Be specific and practical.  (In other words, eliminating overtime laws as a whole isn’t likely to happen). 

(Photo courtesy of Library of Congress, circa 1939)