If you fire or discipline an employee for breaking a rule and you do not fire anyone for the same action, you could violate anti-discrimination laws. Clear work rules ensure that every employee understands what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. A clear definition of what is necessary and the consequences of doing so if you do not comply, you can respond consistently to violations of labour rules. An ambiguous rule or uneven application of a rule opens up your actions to challenge them as arbitrary or discriminatory. Note that in some cases, you may need to publish or distribute a written policy to employees, but in most cases, how you communicate your work rules is your decision. There are pros and cons to written and verbal communication methods. Work-to-rule is an act of work in which workers do not do more than the minimum required by the contractual provisions and follow exactly all safety or other rules that may cause a slowdown or decrease in productivity, since they no longer work during breaks or during extended hours and unpaid weekends (for example. B e-mail control). [1] [2] Such action is considered less embarrassing than a strike or lockout, and compliance with the rules is less sensitive to disciplinary action. Nurses who refuse to answer phones, teachers who refuse to work for free at night and on weekends and holidays, and police officers who refuse to give citations.
Refusal of overtime, missions or registration for other tasks for which workers` agreement is required are other manifestations of the use of work as a labour dispute. Overly restrictive work rules only mean trouble. Not only do they cause unnecessary hardship for employees, but they also make you seem unreasonable and fearless about the feelings and needs of your employees. If you have a rule, you should be able to give a good business reason to any employee who asks for a good business reason. Reasons should be clearly related to the employee`s work and you should not impose personal opinions or beliefs on your employees in the form of work rules. The rules for workers may be imposed by law, but several optional employment rules should also be taken into account. Carefully chosen employment rules can protect your business from rights and help you maintain an orderly and positive work environment. While the rules governing each employee`s behavior must reflect the type of work your company does and the conditions under which it is performed, there are a few basic rules that you will see over and over again when you ask companies about their rules and work policies. Be sensitive to the needs and circumstances of your staff when developing the rules.
In applying your rules, always be consistent and fair. In this way, if the discipline of the employees is necessary, your actions will be defensible. Such agreements can help avoid labour disputes and facilitate the negotiation process between a very large number of different employers and workers. In addition, expenses such as travel and accommodation paid to workers under an EEA are not accounted for as tax revenue. So why have work rules that are not necessary? It is tempting to feel that if the rules of work are not imposed by law, there is no reason to deal with them. While you can first save some time by not worrying about work rules, you may create some problems in the future, especially if you have at least a handful of employees.
