Public Personnel Administration Employee Rights

Public employees' civil rights are protected by federal laws.

Public personnel administration is the division of human resources which deals with employees working for a governmental entity or related non-profit organization. Mediating employee disputes and reviewing issues which may impact employee rights are common duties for staffers.

Civil Rights

Public employees are entitled to seek a remedy for possible civil rights violations. The United States Supreme Court ruled in the Monell case of 1978 that governmental agencies were liable if policies or procedures violated an employee's civil rights.

Supreme Court

Employees of a public entity have the right to disobey rules they believe to be unconstitutional. Staff are also entitled to the right of due process in the workplace when filing a grievance. The United States Supreme Court ruled in Harlow v. Fitzgerald (1982) that public administrators must possess a basic knowledge of constitutional rights.

Administrator Training

Mandates and procedures implemented by a governmental or related non-profit employer must comply with existing civil rights statutes. Administrators must be trained to properly address the issues of test validation during the hiring process, employment structure and training strategies.

References

• Questia: Public Employee Administration
• Professor Darrell Pugh: Public Employee Administration Training
• Jack Rabin: Handbook of Public Personnel Administration and Laws

Resources

• Review of Public Employee Personnel Administration