An Employee Refusal to Work Overtime - Essay Example

However, such arrangements have unhealthy social costs to the persons involved. The case does not only take a toll on the workers but also their families, communities as well as all parties that look up to them. The union’s perspective for this case is justified because there needs to be a mutual agreement between the workers and their employers regarding the case.             On the other hand, the employer, in this case, has more legal grounds than the union.

First, there is a consideration that the country has allowances for mandatory overtime for all civil servants. The standard average work time in the country is 40 hours per week (Golden & Jorgensen, 2002). There are also allowances for overtime and in this case, the United States is one of the leading nations in terms of overtime in the world. The company in the case of Mr. Gryzmisk has even more legal ground because there is no limitation on the amounts of overtime. At the same time, the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) does not prohibit the dismissal of workers who refuse to work overtime (Golden & Jorgensen 2002).

Arguably, the union has no legal grounds, in this case, which makes Mr. Gryzmisk risk his job. In my judgment, therefore, the worker should review his decision because the employer has the right to lay him off.