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Front Line Supervisor Essay

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The vast complexity of workplace laws causes front-line supervisors to know of, or at least know how to find, all kinds of pertinent law information. Applicable laws can originate from Acts, Amendments, Commissions, court cases, and statues. The similarities among each law is the requirement for front-line supervisors to know which are applicable and how to search for them. According to Steingold in The Employer’s Legal Handbook, “In doing legal research, there are several sources you may find useful, broadly categorized as primary and secondary sources” (345). Researchers need to be careful to ensure their sources are credible. Front-line supervisors who came about their position through years of line service may lack the base knowledge to …show more content…

However, the protection doesn’t come with absolute simplicity. Keeping and providing adequate documentation to support their stance can determine the outcome of legal battles. A specific example involves the United States Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Section 5 states, “Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free of recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” Having pictures, standard operating procedures, or statements present when reporting can influence management to respond more timely. If employees aren’t able to develop abatements through their front-line supervisors and organization, they may report using the anonymity of OSHA. However, employees must be swift with their decision to report for specific matters. Per 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1977 Section 11(c)(2), employees have within 30 days of the violating event to report. However, ethical management would prevent employees from having to go to this extent. Some cases of employee reporting provide exposure to a hazard not identified by front-line supervision. In abating such workplace reports management takes a proactive approach in minimizing potential worker’s compensation. Defined by NIOSH, “Worker’s compensation systems were established to provide

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