Strategy for Human Resource

Management
Lecture 8

HRM 765
 Last Lecture

• What is equal employment opportunity?

• Determining Potential Discriminatory Practices
– The 4/5ths Rule
– Restricted Policy
– Geographical Comparisons
– McDonnell-Douglas Test
• Three defenses:
– Business necessity
– Bona Fide occupations qualifications
– Seniority System
• Comparable worth
• Glass ceiling

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Topic

Employee Rights and HR Communications

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Learning Outcomes

After reading this chapter, you will be able to

• Describe the employee Rights?

• Identify the pros and cons of employee drug testing.
• Discuss the benefits of using honesty tests in hiring.
• Explain legal and ethical issues involved in monitoring
employees.
• Discuss the implications of the employment-at-will doctrine.

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Introduction
• Employee rights have become
one of the more important
human resource issues.
• The laws have increasingly
constrained employer actions
related to employee rights.

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Employee Rights
• Basic rights of employees.
– Sick Leave
– Public holiday
– Weekly holiday
– Minimum wage

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Employment Rights Legislation and Its
HRM Implications
• The Drug-Free Workplace
– It is Important for the organization to provide a
drug free environment.

– Covered organizations
• must establish and disseminate policies
• provide substance-abuse awareness programs

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Employment Rights Legislation and Its
HRM Implications
• Drug-free policies must include:
– What is expected of employees
– Penalties for infractions of policies
– Substance abuse awareness programs
– Disseminated to all employees

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Current Issues Regarding Employee
Rights
• Drug Testing
– The severity of substance abuse in
organizations has led to use of drug
testing.
– Drug testing of current employees typically:
• Offers rehabilitation to those who fail
• Communicates that drugs will not be tolerated

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Current Issues Regarding Employee
Rights
• Drug Testing
– Should be done after a job offer is made.
– Those who fail are generally no longer
considered.
• Communicating clear policies and procedures

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Current Issues Regarding Employee
Rights
• Honesty Tests
– Written tests to get applicants to
reveal information about their
integrity.
– Used to predict theft and drug use
– Multiple questions on the same topic
to assess consistency of responses.
– Should not be used as the sole
criterion for a hiring decision.

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Current Issues Regarding Employee
Rights
• Whistle-blowing
– occurs when an employee reports his/her
employer to an outside agency over what the
employee believes is an illegal or unethical
practice.
– Laws protecting whistle-blowers vary by state.
– Many firms have voluntarily adopted policies to
protect employees who identify problems.

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Current Issues Regarding Employee
Rights
• Employee Monitoring and Workplace
Security

• Theft
• Revealing of trade secrets to competitors
• Using the customer database for personal gain

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
Current Issues Regarding Employee
Rights
• Employee Monitoring and
Workplace Security
– Must balance these security
needs with employee rights.
– Develop and communicate
policies for monitoring
• computer
• e-mail
• telephone

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Current Issues Regarding Employee
Rights
• Workplace Romance
– Some companies try to prevent
relationships between employees because
of potential discrimination or sexual
harassment issues
– Others view romance as having a positive
effect.
– Many companies have issued policies and
guidelines on how relationships at work
may exist.
Fundamentals of Human Resource
Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 The Employment-at-Will Doctrine
• The doctrine, based on common law,
allows employers to dismiss employees at
any time for any reason.
• Has been modified to prohibit termination
based on race, religion, sex, national
origin, age, or disability.

Fundamentals of Human Resource

Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins
 Summary
• Basic rights of employees
• Honesty/Drug Tests
• Whistle-blowing
• Employee Monitoring and Workplace Security
• Theft
• Revealing of trade secrets to competitors
• Using the customer database for personal gain

• Workplace Romance
• The Employment-at-Will Doctrine
Fundamentals of Human Resource
Management 8e, DeCenzo and Robbins