Many employers these days mistreat their employees and think they can get away with it. These abusers are generally afraid because they know they have done something wrong and their employees are legally entitled to sue them. This is particularly true for companies engaged in illegal activity. If you have been mistreated at work, you should contact a California workplace harassment attorney immediately. Don’t allow your employer to intimidate you or silence you with empty promises and lies. Yes, karma will do the rest but so will the law.
At-will Employment
Employees are employed at will in California, which means an employer can terminate you at any time without a cause. There are some exceptions, however, such as when the termination violates the contract or any other laws. If you believe your employer has wrongfully discharged you from your job, you must collect evidence that proves the employment contract was breached. This is the only legal route to prove you have a valid claim.
Breach Of Employment Contract
There are times when an employer and employee enter into an agreement with their own unique terms of employment, which generally includes the terms and conditions for termination and other terms about pay and benefits. When an employer doesn’t comply with the terms in the contract, the employee can file a breach of contract claim. It is common for employers to break written and verbal contracts and deny employment rights. If your employer fires you for a reason not included in the contract, you have a wrongful termination case.
Unfair Treatment
You don’t need an employment contract to hold your employer accountable for unfair treatment. This area of law is categorized as discrimination. There are many federal and state laws that make this behavior illegal as long as the employee is discriminated against on the basis of protected characteristics such as gender, race, age, marital status, and religious beliefs.
Whistleblower Retaliation
Some employees involved in reporting illegal and unfair treatment at work are sometimes retaliated against, which may stop other employees from speaking out. Whistleblower laws are meant to protect employees against such retaliation. Reporting or assisting in an investigation of illegal activities or refusing to be a part of these activities, can prompt these protection laws.
Wage Claims
The federal Fair Labor Standard Act regulates the minimum wage throughout the nation, including overtime pay and other wage-related issues. There are also federal laws that require men and women in similar positions to be being compensated equally. If you are not being paid the minimum wage, you can file a claim against your employer.
To learn more about your options when filing a discrimination claim, call us today and schedule your initial case evaluation with a California workplace retaliation lawyer.