Before right-to-work laws, the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 allowed employers to require union membership as a condition of employment. This scenario was often called a “closed shop.” The 1947 Taft-Hartley Act amended this act to outlaw the closed shop policy and introduce the right-to-work landscape. Employers can require union membership only within a specific timeframe after the hiring date. It also requires unions to represent nonmember employees who file complaints for wrongful termination. Most states adopted this act as state law during the 1950s.