Adhering to your rights can even create a more harmonious workplace because every employee knows the standards and expectations of their employment. Here are some important things to know about employer rights.
Overview of Employer Rights
One example of a major right that employers have is at-will employment. This concept means that you can terminate the employment of a worker at any time or for any reason. There are exceptions to this under labor laws, such as employment contracts and labor agreements. These contractual agreements may limit the reasons why a worker can be terminated.
At-will employment works both ways, however. Employees have the right to quit at any time or for any reason. However, if the employee walks off the job without giving notice, you have the right to designate them as ineligible for rehire. In certain states, employers have the right to fire multiple workers if they all walk off the job at the same time.
Employers also have the right to set standards for employees' performance and behavior. Workplace standards for ethics, pay rates, social media use, and how to interact with customers on the phone or in person are all within an employer's rights. You can also set dress codes and expected grooming standards. Reasons for dress and grooming standards can include employee safety, branding, professionalism, or simply making it easier for customers to identify business employees. Putting these standards in writing and making them accessible to all workers lets them know the policies are applied equally to everyone.
Employers also have the right to monitor how employees are using equipment provided to them at work, such as phones and computers. Most states allow employers the right to monitor employees' phone calls, so long as it is on a company phone. Employers can restrict access to social media or other non-work-related websites.
Challenges in Understanding and Exercising Employer Rights
Discrimination is one area that can be hazy when it comes to employer rights. You have the right as an employer to establish hiring criteria for employees. This can include setting minimum educational attainment for certain roles with your company or a certain number of years that an applicant has been employed in a similar or relevant job. Employees can be selected based on what you think is in the best interests of the company.
With the right to weed out potential applicants, however, comes the risk of running into discrimination laws. Criteria for rejecting a job applicant cannot include race, gender, disability, age, or other protected categories. Rejecting a candidate based on illegal standards can open the company or even HR management personnel up to legal liability.
Another area where employers and employees can have difficulty with each other is when it comes to whistleblowers. It can be tempting to retaliate against a whistleblower when they report safety concerns in the workplace. There are many situations where whistleblowers are protected under federal law, such as when they report unsafe work practices, pollution, or other potential violations.
While you can set limitations on what employees can say about the company on social media, it is prohibited to retaliate against an employee when they report problems through the proper channels. Examples of retaliation include layoffs, reduced hours or pay, demotion, workplace harassment, or unfair employment evaluations.
Role of Exact Payroll
Exact Payroll can help you understand your rights as an employer and navigate complex labor laws with our HR management solutions. We have many different human resources modules available for employers to take advantage of, to streamline everything from hiring to implementing an employee handbook. Our HR professionals can handle the tracking of documents, attendance, benefits enrollment, recruiting and applicants, insurance, PTO accrual, employee driver licenses and documentation, and much more.
We even provide an advice hotline for our customers. Ask any question about your rights as an employer, and one of our HR pros will respond within 24 hours.
Ready to fully understand and exercise your employer rights while maintaining a more harmonious workplace? Discover how our services can simplify your HR management and ensure all regulatory compliance. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive payroll and HR solutions.
