Describe five employee benefit programs that are mandated by federal laws.

Social Security is a federal program that includes benefits for retirement, survivors, disabilities, and Medicare insurance. Employers and employees pay for benefits through a payroll tax, and the value of the benefit depends, in part, on how much the employee earned and when the payment begins.

Unemployment compensation temporarily provides a reduced income to employees who lose their job involuntarily. Each state has its own rules for the amount of benefits to be paid and for how long.

Workers' compensation is a system for providing financial compensation to employees or their survivors when an employee is injured, becomes sick, or dies as a result of a workplace situation. These programs differ from state to state.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives qualified employees the right to take up to 12 weeks of continuous or intermittent unpaid leave in a rolling 12-month period for certain medical or family care situations.

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protects employees from workplace discrimination based on military service. It ensures that military personnel are not penalized when they return from duty.