Chapter 1: An Introduction to Legal Issues in Human Resources Management

Human resources management (HRM) professionals and their organizations face a myriad of challenges with today’s workforce. For example, there are issues concerning the diverse workforce, technology, and legislation and regulations affecting the workplace and technology matters that rise to the top of the list of challenges. HRM professionals who encounter these challenges use their leadership skills, expertise, knowledge, and experience to avert issues that might arise from these challenges. In reality, legal issues pervade all that occurs in the HRM function. More specifically, each day HRM professionals interpret a variety of state, federal, and local laws associated with various employment-related situations. In addition, HRM professionals have firsthand experience with legal realities as employers face increased numbers of employment-based complaints, charges, and lawsuits filed by current or former employees. These all have escalated rapidly in the past decade. HRM experts have identified many factors that may explain this increase, including an expansion of the employment laws, a greater awareness by employees of their rights under the law, and an increase in the number of attorneys who are willing to represent disgruntled employees.