Introduction
Employees have important rights, but so do the businesses that employ them. If you are an employer, it is important to understand your rights, and what you should expect from your employees. You have an obligation to be a good boss to those you hire, but you should also expect those workers to live up to their own responsibilities. Here are five key rights you have as an employer.
#1. The Right to Contest the Compensability of a Claim
Employees have the right to file claims for compensation, but employers do not have to accept those claims without requiring proof. As an employer, you have the right to contest the compensability of any claim. Employers have the right to request that their insurance carriers contest the compensability of any claims filed by their workers.
Employers can request such a review on a variety of different grounds, including stating that the injury in question was unrelated to employment, disputing the extent of injuries or even claiming that the employee was not injured at all. This contestability of claims is an important right all employers have, and it is one you should take advantage of should the circumstances be appropriate.
#2. The Right to Demand Hard Work
The workers you hire for your business have the right to fair treatment, but you deserve the same consideration. As the employer, you have the right to demand hard work from those you hire, and your employees have a responsibility to do their jobs to the best of their abilities.If a particular worker is less productive than he or she should be, you have a right to demand a more satisfactory performance.
You are paying a fair wage, and you deserve quality work for your investment. In most states, you also have the right to demand overtime work from those you hire, although many employers will ask for overtime volunteers before making those extra hours mandatory.
In the absence of volunteers, however, you do have the right to require overtime during periods of peak activity, and you should not be afraid to ask for those additional hours when you need them.
#3. Protection of Your Trade Secrets
Whether your business is in the healthcare field, the technology industry or something else, chances are you have trade secrets that give you a competitive advantage. Your employees are required to respect the proprietary nature of those trade secrets, and you have the right to demand that the information not be shared or otherwise disclosed.
Your trade secrets are your property, and they do not belong to your employees. These legally protected trade secrets may include things like customer lists and list of suppliers, pricing information, strategic planning and financial data. It is important to lay out your policy clearly, so those you hire will understand the rules — and the penalties for unauthorized disclosure of your trade secrets.
#4. Loyalty for Your Workforce
As an employer, you do not have the right to unfettered loyalty, but you do have the right to demand your workers act in your best interests and not their own. Employees do not have the right to make deals on the side, and they should not be soliciting business for their own benefit.
If you find that your employees are engaging in such unethical behavior, you have the right to take the appropriate action. Those actions can include anything from a stern reprimand to immediate termination, depending on the severity of the behavior in question and your own needs as an employer.
#5. The Right to Quality Conscientious Work
As an employer, you have the right to demand hard work from your employees, but you also have the right to expect top quality work. From salespeople who work on commission to customer service personnel in a big call center, you have the right to expect work that is up to the high standards you have set. You may not have the right to expect perfection, and no employer can hold their workers to such an unrealistic standards.
What you should expect is that workers will learn from their mistakes, and that they will do their best to avoid repeated problems. If you find the work unsatisfactory, you have the right to demand a higher standard of quality. You also have the right to terminate employees who fail to meet the quality standards you have set. There is a strong focus on worker rights in this country, so much so that the complementary rights of the employer often get lost in the shuffle.
Even so, you have the right to hard work, quality work and honest behavior from those you hire. After all, you are the one paying the bills, and you are the one who signs the paycheck. Employees have rights, but the rights of the employer are just as critical. Understanding those rights, and the responsibilities of your employees, can be key to your success as a business owner and an employer.
Call our Employment Law team at (480) 464-1111 to discuss your case today.