Non-unionized employees rely on which two instruments?

• A. Wages and Benefits
• B. Contracts and Statutes
• C. Policies and Procedures
• D. Case Law

Answer: (B)

When employees are not covered by a union, the binding framework for their employment comes from two sources: the individual employment contract and the applicable statutes. The contract lays out the specific terms of the job—pay, hours, duties, benefits, and conditions for termination—between the employee and employer. Statutes establish the floor of rights and obligations that apply regardless of what a contract says, such as minimum wage, overtime rules, anti-discrimination protections, leave entitlements, and workplace safety. Together, these two instruments create the legal foundation for the employment relationship. Internal policies and procedures guide behavior but do not by themselves create enforceable rights beyond what the contract and statutes provide. Wages and benefits are outcomes governed by these rules, while case law influences how those rules are interpreted but is not the primary instrument employees rely on.