Employees Responsibilities - 2

The issues

What is the extent of employees' responsibilities to their employers?
Are employees entitled to demand that employers meet their religious requirements?
How do we decide the basic rights of employers and employees?
May employees use disposable items for their personal benefit?
May employees use the employers' equipment for their personal benefit?
Is it permissible for employees to make phone calls or emails at their place of work?
What may employees expect from their employers?
If conditions of employment are not agreed in advance, on what basis are they decided?

The Jewish Perspective

An employer's first and foremost responsibility to his employer is to work as hard as he possibly can for his employer's benefit. He must be extremely careful not to waste any of his time whatsoever. This is exemplified by Yaakov, who told his wives: "I have worked for your father with all my strength and as hard as I possibly could".

An employee may not undertake any alternative or additional work that would be to the detriment of his main employer. For example, an employee may not take on additional night employment which would result in his being tired the following morning and thus unable to work effectively for his main employer.

The duties of an employee are reflected in Jewish law in the example of a person working in a tree on behalf of a householder. Although the householder would have to come down to pray, it is not necessary for his employee to do so since going up and down the tree wastes the householder's time. An employee is also required to be careful with his employer's time to such an extent that he is permitted to omit the last part of Grace after Meals during his hours of work.

The use of any material belonging to another, without its owner's express permission, is tantamount to theft - even if the user intends to replace what is used. This being so, an employee at his place of work must be exceedingly careful not use anything for his own personal benefit without the employer's express permission. The same is true with phones and email. Many employers do allow "reasonable" personal use by employees, but since this level of use is very hard to define one should err on the side of caution.

An employer must provide an opportunity for an employee to fulfil his minimum religious obligations. The employer, however, need not expect that his employee will demand anything beyond that amount.

In general, in the context of the employment relationship, common practice takes precedence over any other understandings. Accordingly the relationship between the employer and employee depends entirely upon the normative practices that exist within the place of employment.