Question

Respond:

Labor Relations Laws: Select two employment laws and discuss ways to ensure that employee and labor relations activities are compliant. Note: Refer to the PHR/SPHR textbook or other reliable reference source and review applicable federal and state laws affecting employment in union and nonunion environments, such as anti-discrimination laws, sexual harassment, labor relations, and privacy. Privacy is a big part of my job. I help clients get government assistance, like health insurance and food stamps. These clients are my neighbors, people in my community. I review tax records, and have access to financial information, health records, court documents, prison and drug treatment records. I can see who is complying with Child Support Enforcement, and who is delinquent. I have to protect this information. IF I don't I could lose my job, be fined up to $1 Million, and be sentenced to years in prison. The Kentucky Department of Corrections has several active sexual harassment lawsuits. I attended a lengthy sexual harassment training. It covered what is sexual harassment AND how to report it. There are several avenues and safeguards to protect victims and whistle blowers. Each supervisor is required to report any and all claims. Each claim is investigated. I'm am thankful for the supervisors at my prison. The Warden, both Deputy Wardens, and the Personnel Manager were female. I trusted them and the Internal Affairs officers. I am certain that if I reported any claim, it would be handled appropriately and quickly. Employee Relations Programs: Describe the goal of employee relations (ER) programs and then illustrate how an employer can create a more positive organizational culture through (a) employee involvement strategies, (b) communicating with employees, and (c) providing employee feedback. Identify and describe at least one strategy or program in each area (a, b, and c.). A. At prison, we had several fun contests and a whole Employee Appreciation Week. In Fall there was a chili competition. (Last year, the inmates won!) There were fundraising raffles each month. (The money went to the employee canteen and charitable donations.) B. We used email and posters for most communications. Notices about the holiday meal or Chili Cookoff or Fall Fest for Families were posted by the time punch clock and Captains' Office, as well as sent in email announcements. Large announcements were made in meetings. The Deputy Warden of Security called a meeting during the 1st to 2nd shift change to announce a shift change (8 hour shifts to 12 hour shifts). She returned at the 2nd to 3rd shift change (11pm) to announce the same info to different shifts. The same DW called a meeting at shift change to announce her retirement. C. Deputy Wardens and Supervisors also had open office hours. We could go talk to them and address any concerns or questions. Obviously, some information could not be shared or clarified, but sometimes being able to express concern is a start to having issues resolved. We also had semi-annual evaluations where our supervisors gave us feedback. Arbitration: Read Exercise 101, “Labor Arbitration,” in your Human Resource Management Applications: Cases, Exercises, Incidents, and Skill Builders textbook. Acting as the arbitrator in the case, answer the following questions: i.Was the grievant discharged for just cause? I think he was. Leaving a client in a dangerous and preventable situation is wrong, however, the employers should have visited the site and interviewed the client. ii.The company claimed that the employee’s negligence of duty resulted in the discharge, and the union claimed poor performance was the issue. If the union is right, what should be the remedy? If the issue is "poor performance", that implies that performance can improve, in which case the employers should provide additional training. Union Avoidance: Describe two union avoidance strategies—ways to develop and direct proactive employee relations for remaining union-free in non-unionized locations. I think it is easier to remain non-unionized in industries that do not have a strong union presence. Servers are generally not in unions because unions are uncommon in the restaurant and food service industry. It is much more rare to have a non-unionized car factory. So my first suggestion for avoiding a union is picking an industry with few unions. My second suggestion is providing reasonable benefits. It seems like unions start when there is a power struggle between a few wealthy leaders and many employees who want better rights and benefits.

Answer 1

Response or Reflection

The above provided case reflects and describes the three most important strategies or ways to maintain a good relationship with employees and to avoid any such situations resulting in conflict or differences in interest. These strategies include the use of laws , independently organised programs and tactics to keep a scope of negotiation and mutual agreement between the organization and it's employees. These strategies are :

1) Labour relations laws :

These laws basically pertain to the readressal of various issues faced by employees in the workplace and are introduced with the intention of addressing these issues and providing a support to them for communicating such instances so that they can be duly solved such as sexual harassment, anti discrimination laws, privacy, labour relations etc.

These laws help in a very great extend to cope up with the situations wherein the employees are either facing issues relating to their safety, security and wellbeing, or relating to financial benefits, query readdressal , complexity issues etc.

The above case has mentioned two employment laws one relating to the importance of privacy and the other relating the instance of a employee harassment, showing how organization has maintained a working environment that protect the security and safety of employees.

2) Employee Relations Program :

This strategy aims to establish a positive organization culture, which will enhace the team spirit , feeling of integrity and coordination among employees and teams so as to ensure smooth opertaional activities and collaboration among them.

This objective is attained through three major tactics :

First being the , Employee Involvement : which aims to engage the employees in major tasks, observe their participation and encourage their participantion to keep them informed about everything happening and to gain their trust by being transparent.

The second being ,Effective Communication which will help ckeraing out the misunderstandings and misconceptions and increase cooperation in tasks. Effective communication can keep employees updated of what is happening or what steps they need to take.

The third being the Feedback mechanism to welcome the suggestions and opinions of employees and to ensure that organization knows about their grieviences and handle them in an efficient manner.

3) Union Avoidance :

The strategy ensures that the power between employee and employee stays balanced and stable. It ebsuresensures such ways are discovered by which the organization remainsbunion free as unions put a prominent pressure on employers and overpower them.

Providing reasonable benefits to employees has been considered as a effective strategy to avoid unions.

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