Lead Workforce Decisions With Legal Authority
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Online Employment Law Certificate for HR and People Leaders

HR isn't just an operational function anymore. Now, it's a risk management function. The employment law landscape is constantly shifting. Lately the biggest topics span remote work policies, AI-assisted hiring tools, pay transparency requirements, expanding protected classes, and increasing regulatory scrutiny.

If you handle workforce decisions that carry real legal weight like hiring and termination, performance management, discrimination complaints, FMLA requests, wage and hour classifications, and union organizing campaigns, you’re wading into legal territory constantly. You need the fluency to assess risks independently, know when situations require legal escalation, and lead workforce strategy with confidence.

Learn to lead workforce risk conversations at the executive level, collaborate strategically with legal counsel, and make employment decisions that balance legal compliance with operational reality and organizational culture.

Program Details

  • 3 courses
  • Complete in as few as 6 months
  • 100% online & asynchronous
  • Stackable to the MSL
  • No LSAT required
  • Start Term: Summer 2027

Master Legal Skills in AI, Privacy, and Compliance

Built for working professionals navigating legal complexity without a law degree. The online MSL from U. of I. delivers stackable credentials in high-demand areas including AI governance, cybersecurity, employment law, and business compliance. Start with a certificate or go straight to the full degree.

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Employment Law & Workplace Dynamics Curriculum

This certificate equips you with the legal frameworks and strategic tools to manage employment law compliance, navigate workforce risk, and lead HR decisions with confidence.

LAW 530: Employment Discrimination (4 credits)
Master employment discrimination laws (e.g., Title VII, ADA) and learn to foster workplace equity. Understand protected classes and theories, distinguish disparate impact vs. disparate treatment in discrimination claims, and apply investigation protocols to simulated harassment complaints. Analyze systemic biases in hiring or promotion practices and evaluate diversity initiatives for legal defensibility and cultural impact. Navigate discrimination laws strategically while collaborating competently with legal counsel to advise on inclusive HR practices.

LAW 531: Individual Employee Rights (4 credits)
Navigate statutory protections (e.g., FLSA, NLRA) and employee safeguards with confidence. Understand at-will employment exceptions, whistleblower safeguards, wage/hour requirements, and collective bargaining rights. Apply practical termination guidelines to performance management scenarios, analyze retaliation risks in employee advocacy situations (wage disputes, safety complaints), and evaluate accommodation strategies under FMLA for business continuity. Create employee rights policies such as anti-retaliation protocols, wage compliance checklists, and union communication guidelines designed to mitigate risks and support retention objectives.

LAW 532: Employee Benefits (4 credits)
Master ERISA requirements for pension and health plans and learn to support employee retention and organizational goals. Understand fiduciary duties, vesting rules, and nondiscrimination provisions. Apply practical benefits design principles to cost-benefit analyses (defined contribution plans, wellness programs), analyze fiduciary duties in benefits disputes (investment mismanagement, claim denials, COBRA violations), and evaluate alternative benefits models while assessing litigation exposure. Create benefits plans including fiduciary oversight policies, participant communication strategies, and nondiscrimination audits designed to mitigate risks and support retention goals.

Faculty Spotlight

Roger Pao, J.D.
Adjunct Professor

Roger Pao is an attorney and educator who brings rigorous legal training and a commitment to workplace equity to his teaching. A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School, Roger served as President of the Arts and Literature Law Society during law school—a leadership role that reflects his focus on diverse perspectives and inclusive communities. This background directly informs his approach to LAW 530: Employment Discrimination, where students master Title VII, ADA, and practical frameworks for investigating harassment complaints, auditing hiring practices for systemic bias, and advising leadership on legally defensible diversity initiatives. Roger earned his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from Duke University and has extensive experience designing online law courses that translate complex legal frameworks into actionable guidance for working professionals.

Meet the Faculty

Roger Pao

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