HR Policies in Practice The Issues and Solutions

HR Policies in Practice
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Institution
HR Policies in Practice
Executive Summary
Jane has raised a lot of valid issues that need to be taken into consideration. Under normal circumstances, Jane’s case would have been easy to deal with. However, it appears that she has been let to do more than a casual worker has should and this has made her to believe that she is no longer a casual worker but a contract employee with all the rights and privileges. It is apparent that there has been a mistake in the way Jane has been used within her department. For this reason, we shall have to determine ways of repaying her for her effort because it would be impractical to treat her as a contract employee while she is still a casual one. Therefore, while her efforts should not go unnoticed, treating her as a contracted employee is out of the question. There would be need to work out a bonus package that can see her through the period of her maternity leave with a promise to review her terms of employment should she be willing to come back and work with the university. After she comes back, there would be need to critically evaluate if it would be possible to accommodate her within the bracket of contracted employees.
The Issues
Jane’s account of events raises a lot of issues. Having been with the university for such a long time, she feels that she has earned the right to be considered as an employee of the university and not just the department. Having worked at the university, Jane feels as if she is a part of it. In fact, she has been considered as one of the pensionable employees. However, such acts are common as Brustein (2004, p696) notes, it is common to find employers making it possible for even their casual employees to join their pension schemes. Therefore, it would have been expected that the university extends this olive branch to those on casual contracts as Jane. All the years Jane has been at the university, she has been considered a part time employee at the department of economic history and not a full time employee. Even though Jane requested Professor Clark to give her an employment contract, he never gave his response to that request. Therefore, Jane is still on a casual employment contract. To Jane, it seems as if the university and her department have not been loyal to her. She feels she has given everything to least be accorded some recognition and treatment. The university has done the exact opposite, maintaining her at her position and ensuring that she never gets the privileges of the contract employees.
Now, being pregnant, Jane feels she has earned the right to be given a paid leave. However, there is a less likelihood of this happening as the university does not fully recognize her as a contract employee. After having spent a lot of time there and dedicated her all, Jane feels that that this is at least what she deserves. It is true that Jane did request for continuous employment contract but nothing concrete had materialized from that request. Therefore, her assertion that she has been on continuous employment has no foundation. However, this confusion can be attributed to the lack of communication from Professor Clark. Professor Clark leaves Jane with the no clear information on the pos...