Unscrupulous Employers

Why Independent Employee Advice is so important...

So, we've seen how some dodgy businesses can violate their workers' legal rights firsthand. Let's look at an example: one of our lawyers had a client who wanted to move their business to England. This meant that most of their office workers were eligible for redundancy due to the law and the lack of a mobility clause in their contracts. Did the boss care? Heck no! They didn't even bother thinking about it. They didn't do anything to help their current employees while they protected themselves in future employment contracts.

A few of the top office workers got financial support and/or benefited from the relocation (because it was closer to their homes). In fact, a couple of secretaries rebelled against their boss and got free parking at their new workplace. But what about the rest of the staff? Why didn't they take action against the company? Well, most of them only had their high school diplomas and started working for the employer because they had to, not because they wanted to. The boss did pay them above minimum wage, had decent shift patterns, and (before the move) provided plenty of free parking. But around 75 employees were told that they were moving to a place with lousy public transport and where the only parking was pay-and-display. Some of them could walk or bike to their old workplace, but what stopped the others from standing up for their rights instead of quitting or dealing with the move?

The managing director, two other directors, and the company's in-house lawyer explained the details of the relocation at a meeting while dressed to impress. Unfortunately, the workers just went along with whatever they were told by the people in charge.

One reason why some school leavers accept whatever people in positions of power say is because of their upbringing. From an early age, kids are taught to respect and obey adults who are in authority, such as their parents, teachers, and other grown-ups. This can make them more likely to believe anything that people in power say without questioning it, especially if they didn't go on to university and learn more about critical thinking skills.

During their schooling, they might not have been taught to question and examine information critically, but instead to memorize facts and figures. So when they encounter new information, they might not know how to evaluate it or judge whether it's true or not. This makes them more susceptible to manipulation by people in positions of authority, like the dodgy employer in this example.

That's why it's so important for all employees, especially those at lower levels, to be able to get unbiased advice about their situations. This can help prevent unscrupulous employers from taking advantage of them. Find out more about our employee advice service today or email us at employeehelp@aurora-assist.com