Employment law is a broad category of laws—statutes, case law (court opinions), rules, and regulations—that govern the relationship between an employer and an employee. Employment law includes state laws that only apply to employer-employee relationships in a given state, and federal laws that apply to employer-employee relationships in all states.

In Mississippi, employment law encompasses a variety of state statutes and regulations, as well as federal laws that apply to the employer-employee relationship. State-specific laws cover matters such as wage and hour requirements, discrimination in the workplace, and workers' compensation. For instance, the Mississippi Employment Protection Act addresses immigration status verification for employees. Additionally, Mississippi adheres to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for minimum wage and overtime pay, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for eligible employees' leave entitlements, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) for workplace safety. It's important to note that Mississippi is an 'at-will' employment state, meaning that, in the absence of a contract stating otherwise, an employer can terminate an employee at any time for any legal reason, or for no reason at all, just as an employee can leave their job at any time. However, both state and federal laws prohibit termination for discriminatory reasons as outlined by laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).