Exercise Your Rights as an Employee
As an employee, you have certain rights and freedoms that must be respected. Being aware of your rights can help you to assert them if ever an employer oversteps those boundaries, so it’s important that you understand your rights and how to exercise them while on the job.
Know Your Rights
One of the best ways to protect your rights as an employee is to know them. Depending on your industry, the laws governing the relationship between employee and employer may vary. For example, Federal laws provide a wide range of protection for employees in regards to minimum wage, overtime pay, breaks, discrimination and more.
It’s a good idea to research any laws that may apply to your job in order to know your rights. The department of labor in your state may provide details on the specifics, or you may need to speak to an attorney to figure out what specific rights you’re able to exercise.
Speak Out
If your rights are being violated or compromised in any way by an employer or supervisor, it’s important to speak up and exercise your right to challenge such behavior. Begin by expressing your concerns to your employer or supervisor in a professional manner. Make sure you make it clear what the issue is, and offer solutions on how to rectify the situation.
Be assertive and don’t back down when faced with authoritative opposition. If the issue is not addressed to your satisfaction, document the conversation either in writing or via audio recording.
Get Organized
Joining a labor union or forming another type of employee organization can also be a great way to assert your rights as an employee. Organizing with other workers enables you to gain support and form collective bargaining power when dealing with an employer.
Be sure to understand the relevant laws that apply, as well as any specific rules or regulations that are related to employees forming or joining a union or a similar organization.
Legally Challenge
If you’re unable to reach a favorable resolution with your employer when asserting your rights, you may be able to challenge any violation by filing a legal complaint. Filing a complaint may depend on the type of violation that’s occurred, so it’s important to understand exactly how the law applies in your particular case.
Additionally, many labor unions may provide legal advice and assistance to members if they’re facing legal action from an employer. You may also want to take a look into legal aid services, or consider hiring a private attorney to assist you in any potential legal action.
Monitor Performance Evaluation
One final way to ensure your rights are not being violated as an employee is to pay close attention to any performance evaluations you receive from your supervisor. Itemize any and all changes you would like to see in your performance evaluation, and have your supervisor acknowledge those and sign off on it. This will help to avoid any nasty surprises when it comes to your yearly review.
Your rights as an employee should always be respected and it’s important that you know your rights in order to protect them. Following the above steps will help you to exercise your rights and make sure that your employer is upholding their end of the employment agreement. Knowing the laws that may apply to your job, speaking out, getting organized, legally challenging any violations and closely monitoring performance evaluation all help to ensure that you have a satisfactory and legally compliant working relationship with your employer.
