Introduction
HRM is highly affected by the legal environment in which it operates. HRM follows the rules and regulations of its organization. The most significant laws and regulations affecting HRM are those related to equal employment opportunity (EEO). Various laws were passed; however, only in 1964, with the passage of the Civil Rights Act, was the impact of these laws felt. The behavior of people in organizations began to change only because of the enforcement provisions of this act. HRM is connected to legal issues in multiple ways. For example, the questions that can be asked in an interview, various laws and regulations influence protections for certain classes of people, and the rights of a union.
To reinforce EEO laws, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was established. The commission is “responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information” (EEOC, 2022). According to recent EEOC data, most employers with at least 15 employees are covered by EEOC laws (EEOC, 2022). The majority of employment agencies and labor unions are also subject to it. The regulations cover all kinds of work components, including wages, benefits hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, and training.
EEO Laws and Hiring Process
Two important Equal Employment Opportunity laws that impact the hiring process in an organization are equal pay and anti-discrimination laws. Equal pay prevents paying someone less because of discrimination. If someone does the same work just as well as another staff member, they should be paid the same for that work. That is regardless of gender, race, age, and other factors. Equal pay faces one of the predominant problems in modern workplaces; moreover, it is tightly connected with anti-discrimination laws. Antidiscrimination laws prevent employers from hiring staff based on their gender, age, race, and other factors. To assure the correct hiring process in an organization HR manager has to undertake the following steps.
Firstly, the screening process should exclude any questions that might lead to discriminatory decisions, such as asking a candidate for their age, gender, race, marital status, and so on (Köchling & Wehner, 2020). The hiring process should only be based on the candidate’s qualifications. Although EEO laws deal with obvious discrimination issues, the more subtle issues of different people working closely together challenge managers to successfully blend the differing skills and perspectives of the modern workforce. Secondly, to ensure equal pay, the company should have clear and visible guidelines that dictate pay levels for different positions. As well as that, the companies should have yearly reviews that would help determine fair pay. Moreover, HRM might install algorithms that could ensure that the pay-performance ratio is correct and fair (Köchling & Wehner, 2020). This will help establish fair pay and a fair hiring process within the organization.
Conclusion
HRM is highly affected by the legal environment in which it operates. HRM follows the rules and regulations of its organization. In the modern workplace, HRM is highly connected to the Equal Employment Opportunity laws. They help to guarantee that equal opportunities are established for everyone within and outside of organizations. These laws ensure equal employment without any discriminatory acts involved, as well as equal pay that is based on the candidate’s qualifications rather than on other factors such as gender, race, or age. When taken into account at the hiring stage, these laws promote a diverse and fair work environment, which is a key to successful modern organizations. Moreover, the steps that ensure these laws have to be taken not only in the hiring process but also at every stage of a candidate’s employment. In such a way, equal employment will be established within the organization properly.
References
Köchling, A., Wehner, M.C. (2020). Discriminated by an algorithm: a systematic review of discrimination and fairness by algorithmic decision-making in the context of HR recruitment and HR development. Bus Res 13, 795–848.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2022). Overview. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.