Supervisors and the Law

Supervisors occupy a far more demanding and consequential position in today’s workplace given ever increasing regulation. Supervisors are the trainers of new employees, the employees’ primary contact with the company, as well as the employer’s eyes and ears on the production floor or around the office. 

Perhaps a supervisor’s most significant role is serving as the employer’s first line of defense against the incidence and continuation of regulatory non-compliance. The result of the patchwork of regulation in which federal, state, and even local governments have the authority and inclination to issue rules and regulations that impact the workplace is a complex web of rules. Violation of any part of this hodgepodge of often overlapping rules can result in substantial legal liability. Ensuring that your supervisors are able to recognize circumstances that could violate these legal standards or entitle an employee to certain rights in the workplace should be a priority. Unfortunately, far too few employers undertake the necessary effort to effectively prepare their supervisors for one of their most critical roles.