Introduction
The staff in an organization plays a fundamental role in the success of any corporation. For the staff to achieve this, they are purposed to be willing and apt in undertaking the organization’s duties to realize maximum productivity. Therefore, the organization’s human resources are obliged to consider these workers’ plight towards some inconsiderate working policies, such as the lost vacation days policy (Dee et al., 2020). The policy derails the workers’ morale and renders some unproductive, hence limiting the company’s success. Furthermore, because the majority of the United States is very vulnerable to natural catastrophes, the business sector has developed regulations to safeguard both workers and enterprises from widespread devastation.
Nevertheless, these regulations are not without flaws. Regrettably, they do not completely close all vulnerabilities due to their unpredicted nature. This excerpt attempt to discuss a case scenario of one Gulf Port Ships case and illustrates how weather uncertainty may create a contradiction between corporate policy regarding vacation days lost during crisis management, government anti-discrimination regulations, and worker rights and privileges, resulting in undesirable outcomes and a tense working environment.
Recommendations How to Handle the Staff Who Is Upset
As the firm’s human resource, I would first approach the unhappy workers by being neutral. Further, I would enable good rapport for discussion in the boardroom. Then, urging both sides to establish common ground, I would promote their unbiased and desire to devise an acceptable solution. As a result, I would work with the firm’s management to decrease the number of missed vacation days to one rather than two. Finally, I would explain to company management that, albeit the circumstance had a significant impact on business operations for two days, it is unjust to pin the onus on the workers. The justification for this is that the company had stated that it would be closed on Wednesday with no impact on employees.
Subsequently, since the storm made landfall on Thursday during the second shift, the workers would have gone to work on Thursday morning as directed and waited for the employer to dismiss them home for security concerns. In this situation, the workers would not have forfeited either of the two vacation days according to the firm’s standards. Nevertheless, since the workers are equally accountable, paid workers would have to pick between losing one vacation day and going minus payment for one day. This strategy ensures that each stakeholder bears some accountability for the outcome.
A Policy Outlining the Organization’s Procedures Regarding Time Off
Organizational policies are structural standards for decision-making processes and how work should be performed within an organization. Concise, well-laid rules and processes improve consistency, openness, responsibility, and stability. However, the rules place a premium on what should be done rather than what the organization accomplishes (Joseph et al., 2020). Therefore, the parties involved should choose when, where, and how the specified goals should be accomplished in each crisis management situation. Thus, it is critical to establish policies managing time off and vacation days to avoid contested disputes such as the lost vacation time policies in organizations.
Laws Which Regulate Discrimination in the Workplace
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is one of the notable regulations that prohibit discriminatory and unjust treatment in the event of natural calamities such as hurricanes. The legislation is in place to guarantee that everyone works in a conducive workplace and complies with all applicable safety standards. Among its rules, one emphasizes the need for employers to protect their workers from unjustified risks posed by natural occurrences that might jeopardize their health and safety in the workplace (Mizutani, 2018). As a result, the legislation requires businesses to safeguard employees against slips and falls, flying items, electrical hazards, automobile accidents, and other associated hazards (Mizutani, 2018). Thence, employees who feel aggrieved as a result of being pressured to report to work during a storm may file a formal complaint with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Fair Labour Rules Act (FLSA) is another federal legislation set aside that oversees the organization meeting workers’ grievances. The law emphasizes overtime pay entitlement, specific basic pay, recordkeeping requirements, and standards of pay for full-time and part-time employees (Weil, 2018). Moreover, another important law that outlaws prejudice towards people with disabilities in all spheres of public life for workers’ rights is the ADA; it also advocates for other important areas, including transportation, education, and all other private and public venues open to the people. Precisely, the policy emphasizes the equal treatment of persons with disabilities in workplaces.
A Time-Off Policy Statement to Be Included in the Employee Handbook
The time policy merges leaves on illness grounds, privately earned time, and trips into a commercial institution of days that employees may use when taking compensation time off from work. The latter establishes a pool of days that an employee may utilize as needed. Thenceforth to alleviate the uncertainty that emerged at Gulf Port Ships, I advise including the following time-off policy statement: In the event of a catastrophe, the corporation should offer precise, comprehensive, and official information in the form of notifications memos or official letters in an off day. According to the legislation, employees shall not be required to forfeit vacation days on the day of the catastrophe or have any other adverse effect on their payment. For salaried or hourly workers, the loss of vacation days or any other legal repercussions as per the legislation and the employees’ Disaster Management Handbook Guidelines should apply only if the employee surpasses the off day specified in the written message (Todoroza, 2021). Both stakeholders will have defined rules in the scenario of such an occurrence, safeguarding the company from excessive loss while ensuring the safety of the personnel.
The Risks and Challenges of the Recommended Time-Off Policy
In as much as implementing and applying the time off, a policy statement is critical for the workers’ welfare. Unfortunately, it may have risks to the corporation, which entails that the business may be obliged to prolong the off days to secure the employees’ safety in the event of an unforeseen tragedy. However, the disadvantage of this course of action is that the corporation may suffer significant losses. Again, the business may be hesitant to apply this policy since it will continue to pay employees on off days throughout the crisis (Todoroza, 2021). Nevertheless, employees often perceive all time off as vacation time and report to work while ill. Companies can demotivate this behavior through effective absenteeism management. Employers in the business must establish the pace and expectations for workers and serve as role models for sufficient time off work conduct. Additionally, coaching may assist in resolving the problem of workers reporting to work unwell.
Ways in Which the Time-Off Policy Can Be Implemented
If implemented, this policy would guarantee that the business does not treat its employees unjustly, hence avoiding litigation. Likewise, this will limit any disputes that might bring the firm to a halt. The policy enables employers to exert some authority over unplanned absences, a significant concern, and expense for many. Taking time off for vacation is a perk that employees appreciate. These benefits may allow parents the flexibility they need to take time off to care for an ill child who cannot attend daycare or spend time together as a family. Arguably, it is probably possible that workers may have exaggerated their reasons for taking time off because they hoped their manager would be pleased with them in the past.
In addition, there is no need for workers to withhold information if they are allowed to make their own choices via a time-off policy. Workers may also book time off in advance, assisting with covering work. Employees enjoy the convenience provided by the policy if not enforced correctly; however, the company may exploit the employees by exposing them to discrimination and unjust treatment. As a result, such a dispute will have a detrimental effect on the firm, resulting in unjustified protests and interrupting corporate operations. Consequently, it may result in decreased corporate productivity due to unhappiness.
Conclusion
In general, catastrophe management is one of the difficulties that businesses face. As such, the organization must establish specific policies about missed days. The policies are supposed to be flexible and unbiased to both parties and mutually agreed upon between the organization and the workers. As a result, it will prevent disputes among workers and employers, inclusive of helping avoid workplace harassment and unjust treatment following the law. Importantly, it will also prevent unprecedented accidents to workers when conducting duties hence preventing extra charges in case of injuries to such individuals, which will be mandatory for the company to cover. Gulf Port Ships’ company operations will improve as a result of its clearly stated rules, along with its ability to handle disasters successfully.
References
Dee, A. D. A., Dizon, L. C. T., Aldaba, J. R. M., & Teng-Calleja, M. (2020). “Work is life”: An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experiences of work–life balance among nongovernment workers. International Perspectives in Psychology, 9(4), 230-246. Web.
Joseph, J., & Gaba, V. (2020). Organizational structure, information processing, and decision-making: a retrospective and road map for research. Academy of Management Annals, 14(1), 267-302. Web.
Mizutani, J. (2018). In the backyard of segregated neighborhoods: An environmental justice case study of Louisiana. Geo. Envtl. L. Rev., 31, 363. Web.
Todorova, B. (2021). THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND VIOLATIONS OF WORKERS RIGHTS. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference “Social Changes in the Global World”, 1(8), 301-312. Web.
Weil, D. (2018). Creating a strategic enforcement approach to address wage theft: One academic’s journey in organizational change. Journal of Industrial Relations, 60(3), 437–460. Web.