Notes from the Producer
What are your rights when your employer still requires you to wear a mask? What are your rights when your employer expects you to participate in pride month, tells you not to say ‘Merry Christmas,’ or expects you to act against your conscience?
In the final episode of Season 1, Andrew talks with Laura The Labor Lawyer about all these issues, and more. As the author of RedBalloon’s Employee Bill of Rights, Laura draws from her Harvard Law degree, her love for freedom, and her extensive knowledge of labor law to address issues that conservative employees are facing in their work environment.
I Have Rights at Work?
Yes, you do - and you can find some of them in RedBalloon's free resource, The Employee Bill of Rights.
The Employee Bill of Rights contains five important employee rights, and a breakdown of their legal protections.
It's important to realize that rights don't come from the government, and because of that, some rights aren’t legally protected by the government, but that doesn’t mean we can’t assert those rights in the workplace anyway.
After all, if all your rights were legally protected in the workplace, you wouldn't need to be courageous.
Responsibility
The Founders were proponents of limited government, and many Americans wish we could get back to that, but if you really want the government to leave you alone, you have to exercise responsibility.
The Founders were the first to recognize that small government only works for a virtuous populus that can govern itself, to a certain extent.
The same principles apply to those in the workplace. Hence, The Employee Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.
Andrew and Laura break down several common workplace scenarios as a way of exploring these employee rights. Laura frequently encourages you to speak your mind, organize with like-minded co-workers, consider peaceful insubordination, and establish the kind of work ethic that protects you from retaliation.
I appreciated how Andrew pointed out that you will enjoy more freedom and security in a job when you are known as a responsible employee who delivers outstanding results. Is that you? If you haven't asked yourself (or your manager) lately, now might be a good time.
Andrew and Laura also discuss the solid legal position you have when you are open about your conservative beliefs. Disciplinary action or termination is more likely to be viewed as discrimination or retaliation ONLY if your co-workers and managers are aware of your conservative principles.
Andrew shares a story from RedBalloon’s Coming out Conservative month this past June, involving a conservative employee who found himself in hot water for quoting Proverbs in a presentation. When HR tried to discipline him, knew his rights, and knew exactly how to respond.
That’s where we want you to be. We want you to know your rights as an employee, and to be confident in exercising them. I hope you can take a look at the full Bill of Rights.
Katie's Favorite Quotes
"If you want the government to leave you alone, you have to have some measure of self-governance."
"If you're giving your employer your best effort in every other way…your employer will have plenty of reasons to keep you."
-Laura Baxter
"Most employers – no matter whether they are idealogues or not – are still capitalists. And if you are the hardest working, most cheerful person, you're going to have way more leeway than if you are a grumpy, lazy person."
-Andrew Crapuchettes
Freedom Focus
Step 2: Make a conscious effort to be the best employee you can be: courteous, kind, resourceful, diligent, and pursuing excellence in everything.
Step 3: Have several months of savings in the bank, be deliberate about networking, and have your feelers out for pro-freedom work options.
and share it with a friend!
In this Episode
Thanks for joining us for the first season of The Courageous Economy. If you want more courageous content during our break, check out any of the Season 1 episodes that you missed, and take some time to apply the action steps shared by each guest.
We’ll be back next season with more stories of courage, and more ideas that will help you find freedom for your career, and for this country. God bless America!
Take Action, and Take Heart,
Katie