This essay will focus on the book’s third chapter, which is about employment law in the public sector. This chapter explains the five fundamental themes that discuss the legal tradition and Public Human Resource Management (PHRM) as well as the statutory law and case law governing public employment in a civil service system.
Legal precedents have established a framework to safeguard government employees from mistreatment and exploitation by members of the political elite or other government employees (Battaglio 52).The Pendleton Act was passed in 1883 in response to a need for a civil service employment system (Battaglio 53). This act put the ideals of a merit-based, politically neutral personnel system based on competitive examinations into law. In addition to codified law, public employment is governed by case law interpreting elements of the US Constitution’s Bill of Rights (Battaglio 56). Freedom of expression and association, workplace privacy, procedural and substantive due processes, and equal protection are some of the most common constitutional rights at stake in public employment.
Governments and individual public employees may be sued for employment law violations. Employees of the government were expected to act reasonably and honestly. In reality, if a local government fails to take the necessary efforts to train all personnel in the applicable laws (Battaglio 68). Effective PHRM practice necessitates an understanding of public sector employment regulations. Given the legal ramifications of many recent reforms, particularly decentralization, deregulation, and privatization attempts, understanding the law is even more critical in the twenty-first century (Battaglio 78).
As discussed in this chapter the legal environment of PHRM can be complex: Legislation and court ruling necessary for ensuring non-discrimination in the workplace can also make hiring in a timely manner a challenge. So, the topic of the essay is totally supported by this statement.
Work Cited
Battaglio, R. Paul (2014). “Employment Law in the Public Sector.” Public Human Resource Management: Strategies and Practices in the 21st Century, Web.