Know Your Rights
Understanding Your Rights: A Plain-Language Starting Point
What a right actually is, where rights come from, and how to tell the difference between a rule, a policy, and a legal obligation.
8 min read
Rights, rules, and policies are not the same thing
People are often told that something is 'the policy' when what they are facing is a rule an agency chose, not a requirement the law imposes. Knowing which one you are dealing with changes what you can ask for and who you can ask.
A right is a protection you hold that an institution must respect. A rule is how an institution has decided to operate. A policy is usually written down and can usually be questioned, appealed, or waived.
Ask for the source
When a decision affects you, ask for the written source: the statute, regulation, or policy number the decision relies on. Requesting the source in writing is a reasonable, ordinary request.
If no source can be produced, that is important information. Record the date, the person you spoke with, and what you were told.
Keep a record from day one
Dates, names, reference numbers, and copies of every document you send or receive. A simple dated log is one of the most useful things you can build, and it costs nothing.