Legislation, policies, and procedures are all legal terms used in various settings. These are intended to guarantee the welfare and safety of all individuals. They deliver a set of rules which we should live by at all times by everybody so that the actions of an individual person cannot negatively influence somebody else’s life. What’s the relationship between legislation policies and procedures?
Well despite being legal components that serve a common ultimate purpose, they are different in definition and immediate function. For the purposes of this article, we will acquaint ourselves with these differences.
10 Differences Between Legislation, Policies, And Procedures
- Definition
Legislation, also known as statutory law, is a law that has been enacted by a legislature or other governing body or the process of making it. On the other hand policies and procedures can fulfill employers’ obligations and responsibilities under certain legislation such as work health and safety and discrimination legislation. - Function
Pieces of legislation usually have different purposes/functions. These can be regulatory, authorize, outlaw, provide (funds), sanction, grant, declare, or restrict. Failure to observe these in most cases results in an arrest. Policies and procedures also provide employees with a clear understanding of what is expected of them. - Implementation
It is important to understand the difference between a policy and a law. A policy outlines what a government ministry hopes to achieve and the methods and principles it will use to achieve them. Accordingly, it states the goals of the ministry. Laws set out standards, procedures, and principles that must be followed. - Formulation
Pieces of legislation usually start out as bills that are presented and argued upon before a legislature before being passed as a law. Bills can be introduced at any time the House is in session. There are four basic types of legislation: bills; joint resolutions; concurrent resolutions; and simple resolutions. A bill’s type must be determined. Policies and procedures are usually put in place without being presented for debate. - Effect
Legislation directly affects all citizens directly and governments ought to make these known to all parts of their jurisdiction. If any piece of legislation is broken a jail term follows. A policy is a deliberate system of principles to guide decisions and achieve rational outcomes. A policy is a statement of intent and is implemented as a procedure or protocol. Likewise, presidential executive orders, corporate privacy policies, and parliamentary rules of order are all examples of policy. Failure to comply with policies and procedures usually results in expulsion from bodies but if a piece of legislation is broken in the process there may be a jail term attached. - Application
Policies and procedures are an essential part of any organization. Together, policies and procedures also provide a roadmap for day-to-day operations. They ensure compliance with laws and regulations, give guidance for decision-making, and streamline internal processes. Legislation is not limited to particular organizations but is binding to any entity operating in a particular country. - Life span
Pieces of legislation are subject to change at any time because their formulation process is usually contested on political lines and if power shifts hands this may affect certain pieces of legislation. Policies and procedures also come about after conducting thorough research taking a look at the existing procedures to zone in on how things are currently done. - Importance
The legislation affects the respective operations of every entity in a country and it is such an important legal component for every citizen. Policies and procedures focus on a small demographic and some of its functions include, helping staff to make decisions more efficiently, and providing instruction on how to do tasks among others. - Who is involved in the making?
Policies and procedures come about as a result of research and existing frameworks. Usually, it is the work of specialized individuals. On the other hand, pieces of legislation can only come to effect if the interests of all stakeholders (including citizens in remote areas). These should be consulted before the legislature passes anything. - Compliance and Results
Policies are a course of action that the government or an organization plans to take. Specifically, policies are just decisions that set the floor for a long-term goal. However, it does not ensure that the policies will be successfully followed or they will succeed in helping the organization reach that long-term goal. Now, legislations are actual laws that are enforceable, which means they must happen and should be followed to know Relationship between legislation policies and procedures. Legislations also require voting to ensure that they are passed, while policies can be decided by the government or the head of the organization.