In most companies, staff are under the impression that management prioritizes their best interest when the procedures, policies, and guidelines are established. No one wants to think ill of their employer, but sometimes, a business will exploit those working for the organization.
As a staff member, it’s important to remember that you have legal rights that management must follow. If these rights are violated, an employment lawyer can advise on a course of action to follow to hold the company accountable for their violations.
Employment law encompasses federal and state laws, making the specialty particularly complex. The priority is to work with a lawyer with expertise and knowledge in your sector to assess your industry’s administrative policies and regulations as they pertain to the laws.
The professional will review your specific circumstances, any documentation or paperwork that backs up your claims, and let you know if you have a case worth pursuing.
When To Seek the Services of an Employment Attorney
Staff working for any company have rights the company must uphold with their policies, procedures, and regulations. If these in any way exploit employees, the workers can reach out to employment lawyers for guidance on how to hold the company accountable for their actions.
Find out what an employment lawyer does at https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/what-does-an-employment-lawyer-do-39005.
It’s critical to work with attorneys specializing in this aspect of the law since it is one of complexity encompassing federal and state laws.
Prioritizing a professional with knowledge of your industry’s administrative policies and regulations and how these coincide with the law is essential. Here are specific incidents when expert advice should be sought.
Contracts or legal documents from management
Management will have agreements or contracts for staff members to sign prior to starting the job. Many will expect a non-disclosure statement, employment contract, or non-compete agreement. These all involve legalese that the average person can’t translate into layperson’s terms.
Many people will merely sign the documents for fear of losing their position if they refrain from blindly agreeing to whatever is put in front of them during the onboarding process. That’s not how it works. You have a right to let an employment lawyer explain the documents, so you understand what you’re signing.
If your employer doesn’t explain or allow an attorney to explain the documents fully, they could violate your rights.
You must follow each line of every piece of paper and comprehend what you agree to before you start working for the company or if changes to these documents are made or new drafts drawn up while employed.
Only sign paperwork that is clear and concise. Read here reasons you should consider an employment legal expert.
Discrimination or Retaliation
Discrimination on the job makes the workspace hostile and unsafe for staff members, but it can be challenging to prove.
It’s unlawful for management to discriminate against any staff member based on religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, and on. The employer is also not permitted to retaliate if there’s a claim relating to discrimination in the workplace.
If a manager starts to treat you unfairly because of a report of harassment or a safety concern, this can be viewed as retaliation. You should reach out to an experienced legal professional to protect your rights, particularly if the employer is not taking your reports seriously.
A manager must not threaten you. If this is the case, the lawyer will guide you through holding the employer accountable for their actions.
Wrongful termination
Some states are considered “at-will” employment states, which means management can terminate staff for any reason at any time as long as they follow the law. Sometimes, an employer will unlawfully let an employee go in these states. Racial discrimination and retaliation are examples of wrongful termination.
An expert legal counsel in this specialty will assess the case and help you prove that the termination was unlawfully based. You must collect witness accounts, documentation, and employment records to back up your claim. The lawyer will then develop a strategy to prove that your rights were violated.
You have every right to stand up for yourself when management terminates your employment wrongfully. You don’t need to be intimidated about taking the firm to court for participating in misconduct. The attorney’s primary goal is to support you as you navigate the challenges that come along with this type of case.
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is a serious issue in the workplace that needs to be reported with the first incident. Each company has their own protocol. These steps should be followed with the designated management personnel receiving the report. That’s often a member of human resources.
Sometimes, management doesn’t handle these cases properly, neglecting the incident. If this has happened in your situation, you need to reach out to a legal representative versed in sexual harassment.
If an employer decides to terminate your employment for pursuing a sexual harassment claim, this is considered retaliation, an unlawful response. In this instance, an employment lawyer will file a civil case for wrongful termination against your management team.
Most sexual harassment victims are intimidated by their harasser. As a staff member, you have the right to hold the employer accountable plus preserve the sexual harassment evidence, which can include messages, video records, voice recordings, witness accounts, and on.
Final Thought
As a staff member, you should be able to believe that your management team always prioritizes your best interests. Unfortunately, there are management teams that violate employee rights by acting unlawfully. This creates a hostile environment where most workers are intimidated to take legal action.
Fortunately, you don’t have to face the situation alone. Employment lawyers aim to help staff hold employers accountable for violating their rights. When you present your evidence, documentation, and paper trail, the legal expert will develop a strategy meant to help you navigate any challenges you might face along the way.
You don’t have to fear standing up for yourself against an employer. The company should pay attention to the laws as they’re clearly outlined.
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