Federal and state laws extend numerous protections to employees. They have the right to report unsafe and unhealthy work conditions. They have the right to a discrimination-free and harassment-free workplace. They can ask for medical accommodations if necessary or take unpaid leave in qualifying circumstances. Employees have the right to organize and to refuse to violate the law on the job.
Employees who engage in protected workplace activities should not have to worry about their employers punishing them. Unfortunately, employers willing to break the law or violate worker rights in one manner are likely to have little issue violating a variety of different rules, including laws prohibiting retaliation.
Workers need to be ready to respond assertively when their employers engage in inappropriate conduct. Employees who are aware of the different ways that workplace retaliation manifests can use that knowledge to stand up for themselves.
1. Punitive terminations
Employees should not lose their jobs for engaging in protected workplace activities. However, employers might terminate workers who request medical leave or report illegal activity in the workplace. A sudden termination with questionable justification that immediately follows protected workplace activities could be indicative of retaliation.
2. Demotions or lost opportunities
Retaliation doesn’t always manifest as the sudden loss of a job. Instead, workers might face demotion from a managerial position to a role with less authority and lower wages.
Other times, engaging in protected workplace activities could lead to an employer denying a worker future advancement opportunities or pay raises. The worker may find that their career abruptly stagnates, which could force them to leave the company of their own volition to pursue better opportunities elsewhere.
3. Unfavorable transfers
Employers might move a worker who accuses their supervisor of sexual harassment to a different shift, department or facility. Unfortunately, such transfers can create a variety of complications for the employee, not the least of which is difficulty adjusting their schedule or commuting to the new location. Transfers can reduce a worker’s job performance, disrupt their professional connections and limit their advancement opportunities.
Employees who believe they have experienced unlawful retaliation may have grounds to take legal action against their employers. Pursuing an employment lawsuit could compensate workers for lost wages and deter companies from continuing to mistreat their workers in the future.