The Federal Employment Act was a piece of legislation in the United States of America that was repealed some time in the early 21st century. Suspension of the legislation occurred sometime before 2024 and was followed by the creation of Sanctuary Districts in every major city of the United States. This trend eventually made unemployment an essentially illegal condition.
Reinstatement of the act was one of the key demands of residents of Sanctuary District A during the Bell Riots. (DS9: "Past Tense, Part II")
The Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 263) indicated that the Federal Employment Act mentioned in the episode was the 1946 Employment Act. This act, according to the reference work, "declared that it was the policy and responsiblity of the American government to promote maximum employment, production, and purchasing power."