What are the Rights of an Employee at the Workplace?

Employees around the world usually know that they have the right to raise their voice against harassment and discrimination at their workplace, but do they really know that the laws, which gave these rights, also protects them against retaliation? It means if the employee’s complaints regarding harassment and discrimination, then the employer cannot demote or fire any employee as a punishment.

Punishment is not only a demotion and firing it can be in different forms, such as denial to a promotion, a transfer at the desired place, any position where you miss mentoring or training opportunities.

Worker’s rights and duties at the workplace

If you are a permanent resident, a visa holder, or an American citizen, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) covers you for your employee rights. For a smooth and peaceful work environment, both the employee and the employer must respect each other’s rights.

Employees have some basic responsibilities against the organization, even if they didn’t sign any contract regarding the responsibilities with the employers.

Employees’ responsibilities towards an employer

• Completing the work that comes under one’s JD.
• To be responsible and serious during working hours. You can be fired for being undisciplined and being late for work or due to frequent absents.
• Not to put others and yourself in dangerous situations, be cautious if you smoke during working hours.
• To remain available whenever the employer wants to see you, or want you to do some work during working hours. However, if the employer asks you to do something that is illegal, you must not obey that.
• Be loyal to your employer and the organization.
• You have the right to ask for compensation, pay increment, or change in the work conditions.

Employer’s responsibilities towards employees

• Employers have to provide a safe place to work.
• Employers have to provide them with the required equipment, tools, and environment to work safely.
• Employers must ensure if they want to fire an employee, then the fired employee must be given a month’s notice.
• If the contract is ending and the employer wants to fire an employee, then firing can be replaced with the sum of the money instead of informing them with a notice.
• Employers must build their employees’ trust, and make a healthy environment of respect around them so that they do not feel harassed or discriminated.

Which of the following is true of the rights of an employee?

• Employees can have the job for which they are eligible, without being discriminated due to their religion/gender/or location.
• Employees cannot be fired from any position for their religious beliefs and theories.
• Female employees can report any harassment case according to their employee rights
• According to federal laws, employers must limit employees’ exposure to any hazardous or dangerous situation.
• Lesbian and gay employees bear the same employee rights as the rights of straight employees.
• The emails an employee receives are totally his business, the employer does not have any legal right to read, trace, or take action against them.
• Employees have the legal right to have health insurance from the company.
• Employees can take an off for their sick family member, but cannot take off from the work for their neighbor’s illness.

We have mentioned just an overview of the legal rights employees has but each right has certain strings attached to it, for which you need to consult an employment law attorney.

Federal employment laws protect employees from being harassed and discriminated against due to religious beliefs, religious practices, gender, and age group.

If you run a small business or a large organization, you must know about the employees’ legal rights, whether they are part-time or full-time. Consult a lawyer if you are facing legal issues related to employee statuses and employment problems.