Are There Legal Requirements About The Size And Responsibilities Of Hr Departments?

My company employs around 200 people. There is an HR department run by the HR Director who is seriously inadequate in the role. She has a shared PA with other directors and there is also a part time admin assistant. I’d like to know if there are any legal requirements regarding the size of HR department and their legal responsibilities to us as employees. Is there any kind of governing body that they would have to report to (and that we could complain to). I have no complaints about general admin, more to do with the care side that is seriously unsupportive. e.g. one of my staff has needed random time off work to care for a sick relative, and will need more time off whilst the relative undergoes treatment. I emailed HR to ask how to deal with this, after a week a reply from the director said she was going home sick and would deal with it on her return. This was several weeks ago and still hasn’t been sorted, this is typical of the director. Any advice gratefully received!

6 comments to Are There Legal Requirements About The Size And Responsibilities Of Hr Departments?

  • Usefully Employed

    A company with 200 people should really have at least a couple of full time HR specialists. An alternative to this is to have one, but then have backup provided by an external company. There are many that do this sort of thing, usually backed up by a helpline and internet document support.
    HR specialists are usually members of the CIPD, but you can’t make a complaint about them – it’s mainly a training and representation body.
    There are no rules or laws about HR departments. The unfortunate answer is that you’re going to have to resolve this yourself with the company’s management. It’s probably only a matter of time until some employment law catastrophe occurs, so make sure you’ve left a decent paper trail showing whose fault it really is!

  • Nefertit

    There are likely state statutes which cover employment issues. You could check with your state Attorney General’s office.

  • G-gal

    No, there are no such rules. In fact a company is not required to have an HR department per-say. They can even outsource the hr function outright.

  • everyone's mom

    No legal requirement to even have an HR department.

  • rwa000

    there is no law most companies have them to help the company not the employee, they do not have to have one if they choose so

  • smiley_f

    WOW! This sounds a LOT like our company and HR director. Not really the open door policy that we all think it should be, plus one director that is a complete bitty and a couple other full timers that are her pawns.
    I feel for you, but I don’t believe there is a governing body that regulates a private company’s HR director.
    Companies create rules to conform everyone and there are always variables in people’s lives…so the HR usually have to be the, as I call them, “Policy Enforcers”, which can easily be turned into POLICE.
    It must suck to be them and everyone hate them or come to them with all of their problems. I couldn’t do it!

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