Human resources department is vital for developing business and the big companies couldn’t function without it. No matter if the atmosphere in the company is great or if everyone is friendly, it’s human nature to disagree on matters and when that becomes an issue, it’s time to rely on HR. But being an HR is not always good for the employees, and sometimes the management uses them to be their henchman.
However, the laws are clear and in place to protect not only people but also employees from the HR department when they have to bring unpopular decisions. This is important since HR plays a very active role in business today and adds value to an organization. And having a law student or employee in the HR team will certainly make the department more efficient, and here is why.
Different roles in the HR department
Roles in the HR department depend on the responsibilities of the each of its employee, as well as their titles. Everyone, there has their own area of expertise and concentrate on the issues that regard it. For example, one HR employee can deal with benefits, while another can focus on employee development.
However, regardless of this, HR needs to respect the laws and regulations that govern each area it has to deal with. “Compliance is a key responsibility of every HR role,” says Briana Hyde professor for Northeastern’s Master of Legal Studies program The law touches every profession that falls under the HR umbrella in some way.”
Namely, HR professionals have to react immediately in certain instances and that can carry legal consequences. If a person with the law degree was part of the HR team, then all the decisions would have legal grounds and explanation.
Protection of company assets
Lawyers work on litigations and lawsuits, but employing an HR professional with legal expertise can even prevent those from happening. Since decision-making is something that HR department will have to do a lot when it comes to employees, this will expose the company to legal risks. Having a person that will be familiar with all the applicable laws and regulations can save financial assets as well as the reputation of the company.
An employee with the legal background will help the company to avoid any unnecessary claims that may damage it, but also it will respect employees’ rights. This way, the company will operate with an intact reputation and the employees can find protection in the HR department in case of any malicious intentions. That way, the company will protect its assets among which are also the employees and continue to do its business.
Legal challenges of the HR department
Workplace discrimination is a horrible and real thing that happens all the time even in the modern world like ours. Sometimes, it’s part of the joke, but unfortunately, there is an occasion when it’s made of pure hate and disregard for other people’s lives. In both cases, the HR department will have to interfere and act in order to protect the aggrieved party.
Equal Employment Opportunity laws and regulations serve to protect employees against discrimination against gender, sexual orientation, race and religion, to name a few. Although every HR professional should know these laws, having an expert on staff would be a valuable improvement for the company. It would make employees feel safe and respected by the employer, as well as protected at the place they spend at least 40 hours a week.
On another hand, sexual harassment has been always present in the society, but only in the recent year, it has really come into the serious spotlight. However, recognizing harassment is not easy when anyone can play the victim and accuse another person of wrongdoing. That is why legal training on harassment is necessary for all HR employees, so they could distinguish the real cry for help from malicious accusations.
Legally educated HR professionals can not only recognize harassment but also prevent it from happening. Take Australia, for example, which is going to conduct a national inquiry later this year to record the serious problem of sexual harassment at the workplace. This is the first inquiry of its kind in the world and Brisbane and Sydney lawyers, to name a few, will certainly have their hands full to apply this data in their legal battles.
Handling employee benefits
Employee benefits are a really important issue for the company that wants to grow and evolve. The better the benefits, the more skilful employees will the company attract. Medical insurance and overall care for employees’ health are one of the most respected benefits within the companies. That is why gym memberships, corporate yoga and masseurs at work will attract people to apply for a job.
It’s HR’s job to recognize what employees at certain work position may need, but a legal professional can help by preventing any possible lawsuit events from happening. For example, if employees spend a lot of time at their desk in a sedentary position, then that can cause back pains and conditions which are work-related. HR department can foresee this and ask for the acquisition of ergonomic chairs and desks that will protect the employees from such issues.
Additionally, there are occupational safety laws and regulations that ensure employees work in the safe environments. They make sure that if an employee gets injured on the job, their medical bills will be taken care of. Also, there are disability programs that HR department should know about and make sure that they’re available to the employees.
Final thoughts
Every employee has rights which are based on the laws and regulations, but as well need to have a foundation in common sense and decency. Unfortunately, that is not how the real world works and employees depend on the HR department to protect them and represent their rights. Since HR needs to not only take care of the employees but also the company’s best interests, having a legal expert in the department is imperative. That way the HR department could look for reasonable resolution of issues and find the best legal solution for the developing situation.
