We often take for granted knowing our legal rights at work, on the road, and even while out grocery shopping. Legalities drive this world. The law is a system of rules enforced to create social, economic, and political order. It regulates one’s behavior from acting according to instinct. We are not always aware of how the law works, but how we speak and act are governed by the rules of where we live. Even inside your house, some rules cannot bend to your will.
On the Road
Have you ever been in a road accident whether as a pedestrian, a driver, or a passenger? What was the first thing you did? In any case, the first thing you should do is call the police and then a car accident injury attorney. Since the accident can be jarring, you are not in the right frame of mind to decide what to do. A lawyer can guide you on the right steps to take after the accident (and as soon as you get yourself checked in a hospital).
You have rights on the road. If you’re trekking a particular street and going in the right direction, that is your right of way. If another car suddenly comes roaring from your side and smashes the side of your car, who’s at fault there? The car that’s driving on its right of way or the one from a side street or auxiliary road? The interpretation of the law depends on the one handling your case, but basic know-how on your rights on the road will protect you from having to pay liabilities.
It’s always challenging to determine who’s on the wrong side of an accident. That’s the job of a police officer, lawyer, and judge. What you should know, however, is you have the right not to give your side of the story unless your lawyer is present. The police officer can’t arrest you until he reads you your Miranda rights. If any of these procedures are violated, the whole case can fall apart.
As a Pedestrian
Pedestrians also have the right of way. You can use the road as anyone else. If there is no sidewalk, you can walk on the road facing traffic and as far back as the shoulder. Under certain circumstances, you have the right of way when you’re on the sidewalk, when the crosswalk has no traffic signs, when the traffic sign goes green on your side, and when the traffic signs at a crosswalk are malfunctioning.
But you also have some responsibilities as a pedestrian. You have to walk on the sidewalk if there’s one. You must use the marked crosswalk. When there are traffic signals, you must obey them and yield to traffic when crossing a road without a crosswalk. Remember also that you must let ambulances, fire trucks, and police cruisers go first.
In the Workplace
All employees have the right to equal pay, not to be harassed or abused, and not to experience discrimination. These are at least the three most basic rights of an employee. You should receive the same salary as someone in the same position regardless of gender, race, and religion. Your gender preference, color, national origin, disability, age, and medical information cannot be used against you in the workplace.
As an employee, you should also be allowed to report a discriminatory incident without fearing retaliation. You should not lose your job because you filed a discrimination complaint against your supervisor or manager. The basis of your being fired from work should only be about your unproductiveness, untrustworthiness, and inefficiency.
As an Employer
You can expect loyalty from your workforce, which means no corporate secrets and policies will be shared with another organization. Your employees should act in the company’s best interest. They should not make solicitation activities on the side, and they should not use your company’s good name to benefit individually. Whatever kind of business you are engaged in, your employees should also respect the privacy of the information you collect. You can demand them not to share these with anyone.
Another important thing that you have a right to is honest and conscientious work. While you should provide just compensation for your employees, you also have the right to demand hard work. Whatever tasks you give them should be met with commitment and high-quality output. Sometimes, there is such a strong focus on the rights of the workers that your rights as an employer get overshadowed.
You don’t need to be a lawyer to know all these. All you have to do is read up about them on the Internet so that you can protect yourself better. Knowledge about the laws that govern where you live and work, as well as the world in general, will make you a better member of society.
