Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Employment Law (Online)

MGMT 6370-A70

Course: MGMT 6370-A70
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Mgmt & Hotel, Resort, Hosp
CRN: 33399

Course Description

This course provides a comprehensive overview of the legal framework governing the employment relationship in the United States. Students will examine key statutes, regulations, and case law related to compensation, discrimination, workplace safety, employee rights, and personnel decisions. Through case analyses, practical scenarios, and current legal developments, students will develop the ability to identify legal issues, apply relevant laws, and support ethical and strategic decision making in the workplace. (Fall - 1st Session, Spring - 2nd Session) [Graded Letter] Prerequisite(s): MGMT 6100 or advisor permission - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C

Required Texts

  1. Textbook: The SHRM Essential Guide to Employment Law: A Handbook for HR Professionals, Managers, Businesses, and Organizations. 2nd Edition, 2022. You can purchase it anywhere you can find it. Link will be provided.

  2. Course pack: The required cases for the course are in a Harvard Business Publishing coursepack; link will be provided.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Describe the different sources of law in the workplace and how they change over time 
  2. Evaluate the wide range of legal applications in hiring, managing, and firing to minimize the likelihood of litigation
  3. Apply appropriate legal frameworks in the workplace to maximize the chance for success where legal issues do arise
  4. Improve your ability to manage your own career by better understanding and avoiding legal pitfalls

Course Requirements


Final semester grades are based on how many points you earn relative to the total number of points available (1000 points). Below is a brief description of the assessment vehicles and how final grades will be determined.

Quizzes (100 Points / 10% of total grade)


There will be six quizzes on the weekly course materials (readings, videos, etc.; 20 points each), with the lowest quiz dropped.  All quizzes will consist of ten multiple choice questions and will be open book. There will be a seven-minute time limit, and you may take each quiz twice; only the higher score will be counted towards your grade. A word of warning: you should approach the quizzes as tools to help you learn rather than ways to score easy points; in other words, simply opening the quiz and searching for the answers will score easy points, but it will not help you learn or prepare you for the other--and far more important--assignments in the course.


The deadlines to submit the weekly reading quizzes are listed on Canvas. Quizzes can be submitted up to one week late and still receive 50% credit.

Written Case Study Analysis Assignments (250 points / 25% of total grade)


To enhance your understanding of the management principles we are studying and their application in real-life scenarios, a Written Case Study Analysis Assignment will be required for each case study assigned.   


There will be six Written Case Study Analysis Assignments, each worth 50 points. Instructions and a rubric will be provided for each in the respective Canvas module; please review both carefully prior to each assignment, as failure to follow the requirements will result in no points being awarded. Also, note that the assignment instructions will not be the same every week. The lowest score of the six papers will be dropped, except that any paper which receives a score of zero due to a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy (see below) will not be dropped.


Please note that the Written Case Study Analysis Assignments are an important way to improve your understanding of the course material. Successful students will dedicate sufficient time and energy to investigate the case, and evaluate the legal issues involved (some of which may not be immediately obvious), and ensure that a well-written, meaningful response that thoroughly addresses the questions presented. Doing the minimum to "check the box" will not result in an "A" grade.


Written Case Study Analysis Assignments may be submitted up to one week late and still receive 50% credit, unless you have previously submitted a response to that assignment. In other words, if you submit a paper that receives a zero for failing to meet the requirements, you may not have "a second bite at the apple" by revising your previous submission.

Team Employee Handbook Project (250 Points / 25% of total grade)


Over the course of the term, you and your team will be invited to review an employee handbook for legal accuracy and, where appropriate, revise its contents. You will then write a detailed explanation for each section about why the policy or policies should be changed. Further instructions are included in the assignment, which you should read carefully and follow!

Final Exam (400 points / 40% of total grade)


To demonstrate your understanding and mastery of the management principles that we will be studying, you will be invited to complete a comprehensive Final Exam at the end of the course.


The Final Exam will consist of 60 multiple choice and 20 True or False questions (total 80 questions) and will cover all the material in the course (except the cases). The Final Exam will be a closed-book, closed-notes, two-hour exam. 


The exam will be offered online using the online proctoring service, Honorlock. A student user guide and instruction for installing the Honorlock extension on a Chrome browser are included in the first module of the course.


Since the Final Exam is comprehensive, successful students will take careful notes and thoroughly study the material in each Module throughout the course to be prepared for the final exam. The best way to prepare for the exam is to ensure that you understand and can apply the legal principles we've learned (hint: we work on this in the cases!).


Late exams will not be accepted, and makeup exams are usually not permitted.

Extra Credit


Each week, I will provide a blank outline of the material to help you organize and understand it. If you complete and submit it by the due date, you will receive 2 points of extra credit. Other extra credit opportunities may become available during the semester, but they are not guaranteed.


Extra credit, if offered, will always be offered to everyone equally. Individual requests at the end of the semester for additional extra credit, or to revisit/revise previous work, will not be granted.

Course Outline

Module 1: The Nature of the Employment Relationship
Module 2: The Law of Talent Acquisition
Module 3: The Law of the Employee Life Cycle
Module 4: Discrimination, Generally
Module 5: Discrimination, Specific Instances
Module 6: The Law of Assorted Topics: Safety, Privacy, and Unions
Module 7: Conclusion and Final Exam

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Quizzes and weekly case analyses may be submitted up to one week late for a 50% penalty; late exams and team projects are not accepted.

Attendance Policy

N/A; this is an online, asynchronous course.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.