Certified Public Labor Attorney Exam study guide
Certified Public Labor Attorney Exam · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Public Labor Attorney credential is a professional certification for lawyers and labor-relations practitioners who advise employers, unions, or workers on workplace law. It signals that a holder can reason across the full span of employment regulation rather than a single narrow specialty. The Certified Public Labor Attorney Exam study guide has 9 sections and about 3,605 words.
01Labor and Employment Law Foundations
This domain tests whether you can identify the source of a workplace obligation, pick the forum that hears it, and route a claim to the correct statute before you argue the merits. Most marks are lost here by candidates who analyze facts before asking "which law governs?" Except in Montana, employment is at will: either party may end it at any time for any lawful reason.
420 words, about 2 min02Employment Discrimination and Equal Opportunity
This domain tests the federal equal-employment statutes, the three proof frameworks courts use, and the procedural gates that decide most real cases. Title VII (15+ employees): race, color, religion, sex - including pregnancy (PDA), sexual orientation and gender identity ( Bostock , 2020) - and national origin.
412 words, about 2 min03Wage and Hour Law
The exam tests the FLSA's minimum wage, overtime, exemption, and recordkeeping rules, and whether you can compute damages when a classification fails. Overtime is 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek.
419 words, about 2 min04Unfair Labor Practices and Labor-Management Relations
This domain tests NLRA §7 rights, the §8(a) and §8(b) unfair labor practices, representation elections, and the duty to bargain. Section 7 protects self-organization, union membership, collective bargaining, and concerted activity for mutual aid or protection - including unorganized employees discussing wages, safety, or working conditions.
409 words, about 2 min05Workers' Compensation and Workplace Injury
This domain tests the no-fault compensation bargain: what injuries are covered, what benefits follow, and when the exclusive remedy yields. A compensable injury arises out of and in the course of employment.
387 words, about 2 min06Occupational Safety and Health
This domain tests the OSH Act's duties, inspection and citation mechanics, recordkeeping, reporting deadlines, and the penalty structure. §5(a)(2): comply with specific standards (29 CFR 1910 general industry, 1926 construction).
398 words, about 2 min07Employee Benefits, Leave, and Retirement
This domain tests ERISA's fiduciary and reporting structure, COBRA continuation rights, FMLA leave, and the ACA employer mandate. ERISA governs pension and welfare plans.
383 words, about 2 min08Employment Contracts, Restrictive Covenants, and Trade Secrets
This domain tests contract formation and breach in the employment setting, the enforceability of non-compete and non-solicit clauses, and trade secret protection under the DTSA and state UTSA statutes. Offer, acceptance, consideration, and definiteness govern.
407 words, about 2 min09Administrative Procedure and Legal Ethics
This domain tests how agency action is made and reviewed, and the professional-responsibility rules that govern labor and employment practice. Rulemaking: APA §553 requires notice, comment, and a concise general statement of basis and purpose; interpretive rules and policy statements are exempt.
370 words, about 2 min