What does the term "employee rights" generally encompass?

The term "employee rights" generally encompasses protections and privileges in the workplace, which involve various legal and ethical standards that safeguard workers from unfair treatment and ensure a safe and equitable environment. These rights can include the right to fair wages, the right to be free from discrimination and harassment, the right to reasonable working conditions, and the right to unionize. By focusing on protections and privileges, the framework of employee rights aims to uphold the dignity and well-being of workers within their job roles and responsibilities.

The other options, while relevant to aspects of employment, are not comprehensive enough to fully define employee rights. Promotions and salary increases relate to career advancement and compensation strategies, which, while significant, do not encapsulate the broader protections offered to all employees. Work-life balance initiatives focus more on company policies that support employees in managing their personal and professional lives but do not directly address the fundamental rights workers are entitled to. Corporate social responsibility programs involve a company's commitment to social and environmental concerns, which, although beneficial, do not specifically address individual employee rights within the workplace. Therefore, option A is the most accurate representation of what employee rights entail.