Meaning & use
employee rights
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Meaning
nounpluralbusinesslegal
The legal and moral protections that workers have, such as fair pay, safe conditions, and the right to join a union.
Grammar: Usually plural: employee rights are protected. Use a plural verb.
Patterns
- employee rights are protected
- know your employee rights
- violate employee rights
The new law strengthens employee rights.
She attended a workshop to learn about her employee rights.
The company was accused of violating employee rights.
Word forms
| singular | employee right |
|---|
Common combinations
- protect employee rights
- The union works to protect employee rights.
- violate employee rights
- The factory was fined for violating employee rights.
- employee rights law
- Employee rights law varies from country to country.
- know your employee rights
- Before you complain, know your employee rights.
Synonyms and how they differ
- workers' rights
- This is very close and often used in British English and by unions; 'employee rights' is common in official business and legal texts.
- labor rights
- This is a broader term often used in international contexts; 'employee rights' usually refers to rights within a particular job.
Word family
Commonly confused: employee rights or employer rights?
employee rights vs employer rights
Employee rights belong to workers; employer rights belong to the company or boss. They are often discussed together but are different.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'employee rights' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Employee rights' is a plural noun, so it takes a plural verb: 'are protected'. Option A uses a singular verb, and option C uses a singular verb. Option D uses the singular form 'right' with a plural verb, which does not agree.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “employee rights”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.