Usually, people do not understand what rights they have and how to implement them. This can be for a variety of reasons, but usually, people are either scared or they do not know that they have them. These rights can be sometimes very beneficial to you, and your employer must adhere to them. Here are some tips on how to protect your rights at your work.
Rights of Workers
Many workers are unaware that they may be entitled to a variety of workplace rights. The rights of workers where you are employed may vary depending on where you live, the type of job you have, and the size of your company:
- The right to a risk-free workplace
- You have the right to a certain amount of privacy in your matters.
- You have the right to be treated equally regardless of your age, race, national origin, gender, ethnicity, pregnancy, religion, or disability.
- The right to fair pay, which includes at least the minimum wage plus overtime for any hours worked over 40 hours per week or, in some cases, 8 hours per day.
- The right to an environment free of harassment at work
- The ability to take time off work to care for yourself or a family member who is ill
- The right to take maternity leave after the birth of a child
For some violations, you can file for compensation. If your workers’ comp claim is denied for some reason, you can appeal it. All of these rights vary from country to country, and it is best to research your rights in your state.
Safe Working Environment
Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy work environment free of serious known hazards. This is usually known as the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act. OSHA standards are guidelines that outline how employers must protect their employees from dangers. General industry, construction, maritime, and agricultural are the four categories of OSHA regulations (the set that relates to the greatest number of people and works sites is General Industry). These regulations are in place to safeguard workers from a variety of dangers. These regulations also set limits on how much hazardous chemicals, substances, or noise workers can be exposed to, as well as requiring the use of certain safe work practices and equipment, as well as requiring employers to monitor certain hazards and keep records of workplace injuries and illnesses.
Privacy
Many firms state in their employee handbooks or other written materials that there is no right to privacy at an employee’s desk or on the employer’s communications technology.
Employers have a lot of flexibility, but there are certain restrictions. Employees have the right to keep private information about themselves secret, as well as a reasonable amount of personal space. A legal lawsuit for invasion of privacy or defamation may be brought against an employer who discloses private details or lies about an employee. Under most cases, courts weigh whether you had a legitimate expectation of privacy in the circumstances against the employer’s need for the information.
Workplace monitoring and surveillance are prevalent, and federal law does not ban them in most cases. Employers keep track of a variety of aspects of an employee’s work, particularly when it comes to communications technology held by the company, such as email, phone calls, and Internet usage. Many technologies leave “digital footprints,” which can be recovered by an inquisitive or concerned employer with the help of the company’s IT person or department, even if you try to delete them. Unless you’re utilizing your business’s Wi-Fi network, your employer won’t be able to access your devices.
Although your employer can monitor your work-related calls, once it detects that you are on a personal call, it must stop monitoring. If your employer provides you with a working smartphone, it has access to your text messages, even if some of them are personal. Your employer can videotape you in most instances, however, courts have ruled that employers cannot videotape employees in locker rooms or bathrooms.
Minimum Wage
A minimum wage is set by federal law and many state legislation to protect workers from receiving unreasonably low pay. The minimum wage was established with the premise that people who work and contribute to society should be able to meet their necessities and provide for their families.
In the United States, the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Many states have varied minimum wages, and some municipal governments (particularly in large cities) have followed suit. Workers are entitled to the highest of the three minimum wages: federal, state, and local.
The minimum wage is not guaranteed to all employees. You are not covered by minimum wage legislation if you are an independent contractor rather than an employee. Furthermore, certain types of workers, such as farm workers and certain professional workers, are exempt from minimum wage legislation.
Hopefully, these tips helped you to have a clearer picture of your rights and how to utilize them. You shouldn’t be afraid of using your rights, because you need to use them if you want to have a normal workspace environment.