In the workplace, there are specific boundaries and legal guidelines that employers must respect when it comes to their interactions with employees. While laws may vary by country and state.
There are general principles about what bosses should not ask or expect their employees to do…
- Perform Illegal Activities – Your boss cannot ask you to engage in illegal actions, such as working off the books, manipulating financial records, or violating safety regulations.
- Work Without Pay – Employers must compensate employees for their work. Asking employees to work without pay, including “off the clock,” violates labor laws in many jurisdictions.
- Discriminate or Harass – It’s illegal for bosses to engage in or condone discrimination or harassment based on race, gender, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, or any other protected status.
- Invade Privacy – Employers should not invade an employee’s privacy by asking for personal passwords, demanding access to personal social media accounts, or infringing on personal boundaries without a legitimate work-related reason.
- Retaliate – Bosses cannot retaliate against employees for exercising their legal rights, such as filing a complaint, reporting illegal activity, or participating in an investigation.
- Ignore Health and Safety Standards – Employers are obligated to provide a safe working environment. Asking employees to work in unsafe conditions or without proper safety equipment is not permissible.
- Demand Participation in Political or Religious Activities – Forcing or pressuring employees to participate in political or religious activities against their will is inappropriate and, in many cases, illegal.
- Withhold Benefits or Rights – Employers must not withhold benefits or rights that employees are entitled to, such as health insurance, leave entitlements (e.g., maternity or sick leave), and overtime pay.
- Use Personal Resources for Business Purposes Without Compensation – Asking employees to use their personal resources (like their car, phone, or computer) for work without offering to reimburse or compensate them is generally considered unfair and, depending on the jurisdiction, may be illegal.
- Enforce Non-Compete Clauses Unreasonably – While non-compete clauses are legal in some regions, enforcing them in a manner that unreasonably restricts an employee’s ability to find future employment may not be allowed.
- Violate Work-Life Balance Unjustly – Constantly demanding that employees work excessive overtime, remain on call without compensation, or respond to work communications during off-hours without respect for work-life balance can be problematic.
Both employers and employees to be aware of their rights and responsibilities in the workplace. If you believe your employer is asking you to do something that violates your rights or is unethical, it may be beneficial to seek advice from a legal professional or a labor rights organization.
