Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
So here’s the thing, contrary to what you might think, some of the things you consider to be extra privileges provided by your employer are actually legal obligations. Yup, read that right.
Some of these things could be your employer creating and contributing to your pension plan or providing healthcare protection, and they are really your legal rights as an employee and you should look out for them before taking up work.
Below are four more legal obligations your employer is mandated to fulfill.
- Your Employer is Expected To Ensure That You Have A Pension Plan
According to Nigeria’s labour laws, your employer is legally obliged to ensure that you have a pension plan while working for them. They are also obliged to contribute to the pension plan of every single employee working for them.
- A Health Care Plan For Each Employee
Your employer is legally mandated to ensure that your safety and wellbeing are safe and secure. Through healthcare insurance plans, they are charged with the responsibility of making sure that you have no reason to be worn down by the financial weight of securing good healthcare services while working for them.
- Each Employee Must Have A Work Contract
Yes, they do. No matter at what capacity they work for an employer. It is important that employees have enough evidence to support their claim if they ever need to take legal steps against an employer. Also by signing a document, an employee’s sense of security with their job is secured and they are able to lay claim to any provisions stipulated in the contract.
- Terminating An Employee’s Contract Without Adequate Notices As Stated In The Contract Is Illegal
Unless you have it stated in the contract the employee signed, an employer cannot wake up one morning and decide to fire an employee, Nollywood style. If it has been agreed upon during the signing of the contract that an employee is immediately relieved of their duties without prior notice, then this is a different conversation.
In light of this, it is important to remember to read your contracts as an employee or to get the services of a lawyer to read it for you and understand every single detail of what you are getting into. It is also important to know that when you are provided healthcare and pension benefits at your workplace, it is simply because you are legally entitled to them and not because your boss is a nice person. And as you know, in Nigeria, the latter is not usually the case.
