Why It Matters: Employee Rights and Responsibilities

Why learn about rights and responsibilities of employees and their employers?

In business it is often difficult to determine where one’s rights end and another’s responsibility begins. However, with increasing transparency, empowered workers, and the ability to organize rapidly online, it’s important for businesses to not only identify the line but enforce it. Harassment. Hate speech. Threats of violence. Our workplaces are a microcosm of society. The socio-political divisions and economic pressures that are raising tensions nationally and internationally are also a risk for businesses.

Leadership Mindset columnist for Inc. Magazine Marissa Levin reports that a Harvard Business School study proved that “toxic employees destroy your culture and your bottom line.”^[1] The research found that the cost of incivility to be in the millions. Specific human resource impacts cited:

Human resource managers have a responsibility to both employees and the business. In this section we’ll discuss the laws that govern employee information and behavior and what laws and guidelines apply to employers.