What responsibilities do I have as an entrepreneur towards my employees?
January 16, 2022 | 80,00 EUR | answered by Renate Germer
Dear Lawyer,
My name is Eiko Rothammer and I am the owner of a small IT services company. In recent years, my company has grown significantly and I now employ a considerable number of staff. With the growth of my company, I have also taken on more responsibility towards my employees, which has prompted me to delve deeper into the legal aspects of employment law.
As a business owner, I want to ensure that I fully meet my legal obligations towards my employees and avoid any potential risks. I would like to know what specific responsibilities I have as an employer towards my employees and how I can ensure that I fulfill these obligations.
I am concerned that I may unintentionally violate current employment laws without realizing it, and consequently face legal consequences for my company and myself personally. Therefore, as an expert in business law, I would like to learn from you what actions I can take to treat my employees correctly while also meeting the legal requirements.
Could you please provide me with a detailed explanation of the responsibilities I have as an entrepreneur towards my employees and what steps I can take to ensure that I meet these obligations?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Eiko Rothammer
Dear Mr. Rothammer,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding your responsibilities as an employer in the field of labor law. It is commendable that you, as a business owner, are considering the legal aspects of dealing with your employees and want to ensure that you fulfill your obligations. In the following, I will explain in detail the specific responsibilities you have as an employer towards your employees and the measures you can take to fulfill them.
As an employer, you have a variety of obligations towards your employees according to labor law. These include compliance with working hours regulations, granting of vacation days, payment of the agreed salary, adherence to dismissal protection, and providing a safe and healthy work environment. It is important that you are familiar with all legal provisions and regulations in labor law and implement them in your company.
To ensure that you fulfill your obligations as an employer, I recommend taking the following steps:
1. Familiarize yourself with applicable labor laws: As an employer, you should regularly inform yourself about current legal changes in labor law to ensure that you are always up to date.
2. Create employment contracts: It is important to have a written employment contract with each of your employees that clearly and unambiguously regulates all relevant working conditions.
3. Follow working time regulations: Ensure that your employees adhere to the legally required working hours and that overtime is appropriately compensated.
4. Grant vacation to your employees: Make sure that your employees can take their legally entitled vacation days and plan holiday periods in advance.
5. Pay attention to health and safety at work: Provide a safe working environment, conduct regular safety training, and offer workplace examinations to your employees if necessary.
By implementing and regularly reviewing these measures, you can ensure that you fulfill your obligations as an employer towards your employees and minimize potential legal risks.
I hope that my explanations are helpful to you and I am available for further questions.
Sincerely,
Renate Germer, Attorney at Law specializing in Business Law
