The government is a basic external factor that effects the practice of HRM through the enactment of laws. In the United States, there are a numerous laws intended to protect the workers. Among these employment legislative acts are laws that prevent discrimination.
It is against US Federal law to discriminate against anyone on the basis of: race, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, physical or mental disability, being a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or being pregnant.
According to the Civil Rights Act (1991), individuals are permitted to sue for punitive damages in cases of discrimination. Furthermore, discrimination does not have to be intentional to be illegal.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act does permit certain exceptions:
• Work-related requirements are allowed if those requirements are necessary and a normal part of the job.
• Bona fide occupational qualifications such as mandatory licenses for certain professions-law, medicine, engineering, nursing, clinical social work etc.
• Seniority systems are accepted if they were not created to discriminate.
• Preferential-treatment for those groups who have been victims of discrimination.
Compliance to the law is regulated (in the United States) by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In order to avoid legal action, organizations must carefully analyze their practices of hiring, training, and promoting to insure that they are in complete conformity with these laws.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Role of the Government in Human Resource Management
Posts
