Employee Rights and Responsibilities

Employee rights and responsibilities are important to ensure that all employees are made aware of what they should be doing to promote a safe and healthy work environment for themselves as well as colleagues. Such rights and r responsibilities can include benefits, safety regulations, health rules, use of protection. 

Employee Rights

·        Employees have a right to be treated fairly and not be discriminated against due to age, gender, national origin, sexual preference, race, disability, or any other protected category.

·        Age discrimination is also an issue in the workplace. Employees have a right not to be discriminated against based on their age.

·        Even job applicants have rights when it comes to the interviewing process, which include a right not to be discriminated against under federal law.

·        Employees also have a right not to be harassed whether it be sexual harassment or other forms of harassment, including harassment based on a disability.

·        Employees have a right to privacy in the workplace. They should be free to keep personal possessions at their workstations or in lockers and ensure that no items will be stolen. Employees may even have a right to privacy in their telephone conversations. However, these rights, as well as rights to privacy through email messages can, in fact, be limited as employers generally have a team of security personnel to ensure that no wrongdoing is taking place on company premises.

As a worker, it is your responsibility to,

• Read the workplace safety and health poster at the jobsite.
• Comply with all applicable standards.
• Follow all lawful employer safety and health rules and regulations, and wear or use required protective equipment while working.
• Report hazardous conditions to the employer
• Report any job-related injury or illness to the employer, and seek treatment promptly.

Employer Responsibilities

• Provide a workplace free from serious hazards
• Make sure employees have and use safe tools and equipment. Properly maintain this equipment.
• Use color codes, posters, labels or signs to warn employees of potential hazards.
• Establish or update operating procedures and communicate them so that employees follow safety and health requirements.
• Provide medical examinations and training when.
• Keep records of work-related injuries and illnesses and post these records.
• Provide employees, former employees and their representatives’ access to the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses.
• Provide access to employee medical records and exposure records to employees or their authorized representatives.
• Not discriminate against employees who exercise their safety and health rights.
• Post citations at or near the work area involved. Each citation must remain posted until the violation has been corrected, or for three working days, whichever is longer. Post abatement verification documents or tags.
• Correct cited violations by the deadline set in the citation and submit required abatement verification documentation.

References

BBC Bitesize. Employment rights and responsibilities - GCSE Learning for Life and Work (CCEA) Revision. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zgxpfrd/revision/4

Safetyworksmaine.gov. (2013). SafetyWorks! Rights and Responsibilities. [online] Available at: https://www.safetyworksmaine.gov/safe_workplace/rights-responsibilities.html.