Civil Rights Acts of 1964 (Title VII): banned race discrimination in employment but, despite assurances to the contrary by its sponsors, became the legal basis of quotas; applies to companies of 15 or more employees. Click here for more info.

Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967: banned forced retirement before 65, raised to 70 in 1978; applies to companies of 20 or more employees. Click here for more info.

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA): set forth rules for pension and welfare benefit plans and established federal pension fund insurance; reporting requirements are of such complexity that it has become known as the "lawyer's relief act"; applies to companies with 100 or more employees. Click here for more info.

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA): now a regulatory monster that some studies suggest does little for worker safety while adding billions of dollars in costs to the economy; current threshold for required reporting and eligibility for famously arbitrary inspection, 11 employees or more.

Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1986: bans terminating a still-working employee's pension accrual because of age; applies to companies of 20 or more employees. Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986: on one hand, bans hiring illegal immigrants; on the other, makes it an offense to refuse employment to anyone who the employer believes may be an illegal immigrant but turns out not to be; applies to companies with four employees or more. Click here for more info.

Worker Adjustment and Restraining Notification Act of 1988 (WARN): the controversial plant closing legislation passed over President Reagan's veto requires 60 days written notice of large-scale layoffs and plant closings; applies to companies with 50 or more employees.

Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act or 1986: requires reporting of toxic chemicals used in manufacturing; applies to companies or 10 employees or more. Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990: A remarkably sweeping, vaguely constructed piece of legislation, already giving rise to thousands of suit against businesses; applies to companies of 15 or more employees.

Civil Rights Act Amendments of 1991: increased employer exposure to discrimination suits; applies to companies of 15 of more employees. Click here for more info.

Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990: as of April 1991 brought employee benefits, pensions and early retirement incentives under the Age Discrimination Employment Act; two years later, under 1986 amendments, ADEA coverage was extended to everyone over 40; applies to companies of 20 or more employees.

Family Medical Leave Act of 1993: mandates 12 work weeks of leave either husband or wife upon birth or adoption of a child or sickness in the family; applies to companies with 50 or more employees. Click here for more info.

Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990: as of October 1995 will require companies in target regions and states to implement plans increasing the average occupancy of their employee's commuting vehicles by 25%; projected costs to employers go as high as $1,000 per employee; applies to companies with 100 or more employees.