The Human resource process is heavily influenced by legal, safety, and regulatory constraints. The H.R. process oversees employee identification, recruiting, and selection. The H.R. process is also in charge of developing and implementing training programs, developing and implementing employee benefits programs, and developing and implementing employee discipline programs. Legal regulations have a significant and far-reaching impact on the H.R. process.
To achieve compliance with the plethora of HR-related rules and regulations, firms must have specific policies and procedures in place. In addition, H.R. professionals must be familiar with the legal requirements that apply to their firm and be able to effectively convey these needs to workers (Batistič, 2018). The ban on discrimination is the most critical legislative criterion influencing the H.R. process. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act outlaws discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, and national origin. This legislation governs all parts of the working relationship, including hiring, dismissal, salary, and benefits.
The impact of safety standards on the H.R. process is substantial. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations compel companies to provide workers with a safe and healthy workplace. Employers must identify and manage workplace dangers to avoid injuries, illnesses, and deaths (Duval, 2022). The H.R. procedure is in charge of ensuring that workers are aware of and follow safety regulations. H.R. must create and execute rules and procedures that improve workplace safety. The division must also guarantee that personnel is adequately taught safety procedures and understand the ramifications of breaking safety standards (Valeev & Kondratyeva, 2021). Safety standards can have an impact on how H.R. recruits and employs people. Employers must examine the job’s safety hazards when recruiting an employee. The department must also guarantee that staff is physically and psychologically capable of carrying out their duties safely. The impact of safety regulations on the H.R. process is seen in how H.R. creates and executes policies and procedures, recruits and employs personnel, and offers safety training and instruction.
The process of human resources has been significantly impacted by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The requirement that businesses offer health insurance to employees and their families is one element of the ACA that impacts employer-sponsored health insurance. These variables could affect the H.R. process, which entails the duty to create and administer health insurance policies and procedures and train staff on these policies. The ACA’s modifications to how employers offer health insurance to their employees influence the H.R. process. The Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Act mandates that the human resources division develop workplace policies and educate staff members on the illegality of discriminating against anyone at any time. The human resources division must ensure that all applicants are treated equally during and after the recruiting process, regardless of their gender, religion, caste, race, color, age, or physical impairment, to comply with EEO.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) was primarily established to improve wages and working conditions, with or without a union. The department aims at ensuring the organization upholds employee rights. This department influences the decisions of the H.R. by developing policies and rules prohibiting interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees. Either from engaging in the exercise of rights relating to organizing, forming, joining, or assisting a labor organization for collective bargaining. It could also be from working together to improve terms and conditions of employment or refraining from any such activity. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces rules against workplace discrimination and harassment. This act may also impact the H.R. process, including the requirement to design and execute discrimination and harassment rules and procedures and educate staff on these policies. In addition, the EEOC may examine accusations of discrimination and harassment, which can potentially affect the H.R. process.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) prohibit employers with 15 or more workers from discriminating against job applicants and people with disabilities. Employers must also provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees, with or without reasonable accommodations, so that they can perform essential job duties. Since workers with disabilities must have equal access to job benefits and privileges, H.R. must ensure compliance. The organization must provide adequate accommodations for all non-work amenities offered or maintained for employees. H.R. must ensure U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) compliance (Valeev & Kondratyeva, 2021). H.R. is requested to help with employee data permissions, cybersecurity rules and procedures, and employee-related cyber events.
Litigation has indeed supplanted good sense and compassion in the workplace. There is a significant contrast between how organizations were in the past and how they are now. The regulations have expanded from being on a single page to a whole book. The human resource management team must first concentrate on the laws put in place to prevent litigation; thus, compassion is out the window. Sometimes displaying compassion will lead to legal actions since the compassion outweighs the regulations and laws. As a result, some workers may utilize sympathy to sue their employers in court. Compassion and common sense are indeed losing ground to litigation nowadays.
Based on the information, leaders must be aware of the environment in which they operate. Leaders must shape the organization towards adhering to rules and regulations spearheaded by the government and other non-government organizations. Leaders must know that basing organizational decisions on compassion instead of set rules and regulations could result in legal problems. Leaders should strive to create an environment in which employees feel safe and respected, as this can help prevent problems from arising in the first place.
References
Batistič, S. (2018). Looking beyond – socialization tactics: The role of human resource systems in the socialization process. Human Resource Management Review, 28(2), 220-233. Web.
Duval, J. (2022). What do HR managers need to know about OSHA compliance? Cloud HCM Software. Web.
Valeev, S., & Kondratyeva, N. (2021). Risk and process safety standards. Process Safety and Big Data, 55-110. Web.