Customer Reviews

Your Rights in the Workplace (3rd ed)

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Even after working in Corporate America for several years as a manager, it wasn't until I started my own business that I started paying attention to employment laws. And then I was amazed at how little attention I had paid to my rights in the workplace when I was an employee! I now realize that I didn't know anything about my privacy rights, or when I was being illegally discriminated against or what to do if I got fired. Part of the reason was that I had been lucky enough to work for good employers (and especially great bosses) who were very fair and I never felt the need to understand my rights because they took care of protecting them proactively through their internal guidelines and implementation.

I realize now that everyone isn't as lucky when I started hearing the horror stories that some of my friends had to endure. If I had continued working for Corporate America (I started my own small business a few years back) I believe that eventually I would have encountered situations where I would need to know my workplace rights.

That's where this book comes in. It gives a fantastic overview of almost every law imaginable that could apply to you if you are an employee. It is a very detailed book with countless pages spent on comparing the laws as enforced in various states so you can find your own state law and see the details. A good example is the chapter on wages - there are tables comparing the rules for overtime, meal breaks, minimum wages, etc. for each state. In this chapter, I also found an interesting tidbit of information on meal and break periods. It describes the different situations under which your employer is required to pay for meal time!

The entire book is full of helpful and valuable information on your workplace rights. I personally believe that it is good to have this book handy even if you don't need it right now. It makes for interesting reading and you will feel more in control of your behavior at work and not as afraid of your lawful actions. Here's something else to think about - the book has information on the time period in which you can lodge a complaint against your employer after something unlawful has happened to you. Even if you decide not to do anything about something that has happened to you, at least you know the expiration date on your right to complain under the various circumstances!

This book also happens to be one of the more inexpensive books from Nolo. If you are new to Nolo books, you will quickly realize that they do a fantastic job of explaining the law in plain English. And they are very detailed. Enjoy!

I'm a paralegal, you would think I would know these things. However, I was in a position where I knew I was being wronged, but would have to research and learn an entirely new form of law to make my case. This book had already done that for me. It has simple answers to complex questions; it is organized into a format which allows the reader to make educated decisions. I highly recommend this book whether you are in a situation now, or want to be prepared should you ever find yourself in a situation later.

I was truly amazed at how little attention I had paid to my own rights in the workplace when I was an employee!.

It's still amazing on how myself as a manager and even as the employee were unaware of various and specific practices and procedures that need to happen in a safe and fair workplace. This book was amazingly eye-opening!

The plain-English resource every employer, manager and HR professional needs. Covering the new laws that affect every aspect of being an employer -- from interviewing and hiring, to handling employee benefits to firing. The most complete guide to your legal rights and responsibilities, The Employer's Legal Handbook shows you how to comply with the most recent workplace laws and regulations, run a safe and fair workplace and avoid lawsuits.

You can learn everything you need to know about: Hiring: Understand the legal guidelines for hiring employees, writing job descriptions, conducting interviews and investigating applicants. Smart personnel practices: What to include in employee personnel files, employee handbooks, performance reviews and references for former employees. Wages & hours: Comply with federal and state overtime and minimum wage requirements. Employee benefits: Learn the ins and outs of wage and hour laws, retirement plans and health insurance. Workplace health and safety: Comply with OSHA requirements, and implement policies on smoking, drugs and alcohol abuse. Discrimination: Prevent sexual harassment and discrimination based on age, race, pregnancy, sexual orientation and national origin. Termination and layoffs: Avoid wrongful termination cases, conduct a final meeting and protect your business information when employees leave. Laws affecting small business practices:

There is also everything you need to know about the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, health and safety issues, employee testing and more.

It gives an incredible overview of almost every law imaginable that could apply to you if you are an employee (and as employer). This book is a very easy read, well organized and easy references to look up information quickly.

True to their word - the NoLo books are extremely helpful as always. This is a must for your collection. 9-27-2010

I read this Nolo book from cover to cover because 1) It is written very well and even though some information like definitions are basic, they are written in common speak not "law" speak. 2) The chapters are organized well and the laws are listed for every state. and 3) NOLO is great at posting Tips, Additional Resources, and Related topics.
NOLO has not failed to help me understand any of the Elements that they publish, I love my NOLO library and continue to use the books as Reference. I also continue to refer my friends and colleagues regarding NOLO books when they need a good reference.

Accurate information is key to resolving workplace issues. Whether this book is used to address a particular problem or as an informative guide, it is constructed of chapters to research any situation that may arise and the appropriate manner in which to handle it. Chapters range from "Your Rights in the Workplace" to "Wages and Hours", "Health Insurance", etc., to the more specialized "Illegal Discrimination", "Unemployment", "Labor Unions" and "Immigration Issues". The Appendix offers resources on every topic, from Civil Rights to Mediation and Arbitration and Women's Issues. In addition, each chapter (if relevant) offers highlighted pages listing regulations in each state, the specifics of laws by state and any special circumstances that attach.

I got this book for a specific purpose, but have found it useful for general knowledge on workplace issues. I also appreciate the pages dedicated to the particularities of my state, any exceptions made by my state (for example, how long a severance check may be held before given to a former employee) and details that may change the determination of my issue. Like the other books in the series, this title offers accurate and logical guidelines to anyone seeking information regarding employment practices. By having the most current edition, I am assured that the various resources listed in the Appendix are up to date. Overall, this text is a welcome addition to a nonprofessional legal library of resources in today's employment market. Luan Gaines/2011.

I am still in the process of reading this book, but it is jam-packed with a lot of helpful information for those of us trying to get through the daily grind of the workplace and for when you feel you have no-where to turn and no recourse/then this book is for you. It gives you no-nonsense information in easy to read English. If you are having problems in the workplace this book is very highly recommended to give you a ton of information as to what your legal rights are in the workplace and what recourse you have. For once someone makes the worker feel powerful and you DO have choices and options that of course your employer would NEVER tell you about and in my case the HR Department that is totally "pro-company" and "anti-employee". The truth be now known.

There is no doubt that Barbara Kate Repa is an expert on this subject. She has authored (or coauthored) numerous books on this topic including:
Firing Without Fear: A Legal Guide for Conscientious Employers,
Avoid Employee Lawsuits: Commonsense Tips for Responsible Management (Quick & Legal Series), and
The Eighth Edition of this book Your Rights in the Workplace [YOUR RIGHTS IN THE WORKPLAC-8E].

This book covers all the basics of the workplace-related federal laws. It also touches very briefly on state specific laws. Most of the general information provided in this book should already be known to anyone who has been employed for some time. That is why this book may not be so useful for the seasoned employee. On the other hand, there is definitely a wealth of information for those who are new to the workforce (e.g. new college graduates or immigrants).

This book should not be substituted for specific legal advice since it only provides a very general overview of what the law provides for employees as well as employers. It gives the reader a good understanding of what they should know about their rights as employees and about their employer's obligations toward them. It also provides real-life examples to make the concept understood.

There is no personal self-help advice in this book and anyone seeking that will be disappointed. Most of the information that is provided is already available online. That is why a tech-savvy employee will find little use for this book. I also think that the book could have included a FAQ section at the end of each chapter to cover some of the commonly asked questions or some of the misconceptions.

This book can be effectively used as a reference. It has a good Appendix section that includes addresses, phone numbers and website addresses for several non-profit organizations and governmental agencies. This information can be useful at least until it becomes outdated in roughly 5-10 years. It also includes a thorough index that can come in handy if you are looking for specific information.

This book does a very good job of covering the laws regarding workplace rights in the following categories, illegal firings and layoffs, challenging a job loss, wages and hours, privacy on your email and voice mail, family and medical leave, on-the-job safety and health, insurance and retirement plans, and sexual harassment, just to name a few. Normally, you would have to go through several legal resources to gather bits and pieces of information. This book covers all the major topics and some lesser known ones, all in one place. It is a very dry read, but very detailed.

A word to the wise... Unfotrunately, most people will be attracted to this book looking for answers to questions that are not in here. It is often thought that "courtesey and respect" are workplace rights and that couldn't be further from the truth. If you have a boss who is mean, rude, treats others better, picks on you or is just an arrogant jerk, this book will not help you.

Ostensibly, the audience for this book is employees, I get that. But an individual employee lives and works in one state, and this book is full--at least half the page count?--of pages about the law in every state. From that point of view, I'd expect the audience more to be HR people in multi-state companies. "What can we do in ... South Dakota, vs. Virginia?" (Note I don't mention California, which probably needs a book of its own.)

Caveat: I spent most of my working life at a Fortune500 multinational, where they treated us fairly, if not always well. Never had the slightest doubt about what my rights were, perhaps in part because they were big enough to get it right (and that was part of their go-to-market brand). I have since talked with people with different histories who can tell me they were "shoehorned" into exempt positions when hourly would have paid better; they never knew the distinctions were made at the federal level.

If you are looking at a problem from the employee side, this is probably a good place to start. I can't help but think it's better for the employer, however. These are things you need to know about managing your workforce in each of the states...

You may be surprised at what rights you have and more surprised at the rights you do not have in the workplace. Sometimes those rights vary from state to state. If you want to protect yourself from your employer or see what they can and cannot do to you, this is a good book to have around for reference. It is a comprehensive guide to everything from being hired to being fired and everything in between. There are various lists for each state on where to go for help if your rights are violated. This is a must have book. Your employer knows what they can and cannot do to you, do you?