Introduction
If you are working for a company, you must be aware of the fundamental rights you have as an employee. You have limited freedom at your workplace as per the company’s guidelines. However, the guidelines must not restrict certain things and judge them by their age, gender, race, etc.
This article will help you to understand the basic rights that you must have as an employee. Whether it’s about your salary, working hours, health, and safety, here are some essential things you should be aware of while working in a company.
Employee Rights That You May Not Know
Although there are some terms and conditions of employment, they must be governed by laws. Continue reading to know about employee rights if you are working somewhere.
You Should Receive a Contract of Employment
Some employers always don’t give a contract of employment. But an employee should get the employment contract within two months of joining. The contract should include some basic details with the terms and conditions of the employment.
Specifically, these details are the job title, working hours, monthly salary, paid leaves, disciplinary process, notice period, and other details. It should also include the procedure for reporting a grievance.
Free From Discrimination
Employees must be free from any kind of discrimination in their workplace. Moreover, many people don’t know that they have employment rights even before they work as an employee. You have certain rights as a job applicant that includes freedom from any kind of discrimination.
Often, during the hiring process, certain individuals are judged due to their gender, ethnicity, race, or nationality. But, based on such matters, a potential employer should not judge you.
You Must Receive Your Salary Slips
Some employers don’t provide salary slips, and sometimes they don’t also give clear information about the deductions. Legally, the employer is bound to provide the payslips with detailed information on the deductions.
You must receive your salary slip that provides the breakdown of your salary and deductions. The employer cannot deduct your wages illegally. You also have the right to ask the employer about the deductions if they are not clear on the payslip.
Health and Safety Rights
The employer must ensure that the work environment is safe and healthy to work. It’s the responsibility of the employer to provide facilities for drinking water, first-aid equipment, machinery, and eclectic safety, etc.
If you get injured at your workplace, the employer should pay you the compensation for your recovery. You can consult a worker’s compensation lawyer from WorkInjuryRights if your employer does not agree to provide you the compensation.
Reasonable Working Hours and Breaks
You have the right to get daily and weekly breaks under the health and safety laws. The breaks include at least a 20-minute daily break if the working hours exceed 6 hours and a full day off every week. Unless you agree to work, the employer cannot force you to work more than 48 hours a week.
You’re Entitled to Family Leave
Female employees have the right to get time-off for antenatal care. Other eligible employees can get 1-2 weeks for paternity leave during the period when the baby is due or born.
A parent can get six months of paid leave and six months of unpaid leave when adopting a child. If the employer gives dismissal notice during maternity leave, it should mention the proper reason in written format. An employee can ask for flexible working hours after working for 26 weeks for an employer.
Conclusion
Hopefully, the above information has helped you to know about your rights as an employee. So, you should take these factors into consideration when you find any type of issues mentioned above. If you face any problems, try to resolve the matter by communicating with your employer. When things go out of hand, don’t step back to consult an employment lawyer. Lastly, please share your opinion and queries in the comment section.
