Sometimes, at work, we can feel powerless, like we are subject to the whims of our employers, regardless of whether those whims even make sense. After all, there is an inherit power imbalance between the one who signs the check and the one who receives it. Nonetheless, employees have rights that employers must respect.
Safe workplace
First, every worker deserves and is entitled to a safe workplace. If an employer is maintaining an unsafe work environment, they are very likely violating the law. And, at Employment Law Professionals, we can help. Do not wait to be injured.
Discrimination prohibited
Though, even if a workplace is physically safe, one may still have to deal with other aggravating issues, like prohibited, illegal discrimination. Essentially, no employee can be denied employment opportunities or penalized based on their race, gender, sexual orientation or any other protected class.
What does workplace discrimination look like?
Examples of workplace discrimination can be obvious, but not always. For example, unfair compensation may not be immediately noticeable as most employees do not speak about their wages, though, they should. If all of the white employees are paid more than their non-white co-workers, this may be illegal workplace discrimination. If all of the supervisors at a large facility are white, and have always been white, this might also be evidence of discrimination. The more obvious forms of discrimination are sexual harassment, like “cat calls,” demands for sexual favors, etc. And, please remember that it is also illegal to discriminate based on one’s pregnancy or disability.
Speak up and call us
Doing the right thing, like standing up to an employer doing illegal things, is intimidating. We get that, but please know that employee rights are real, and we fight for our client’s rights. And, the law protects those brave enough to speak up from retaliation. This means that a good faith claim cannot lead to one’s firing or any penalty. This is the same protection as whistleblowers receive, which is why when one sees something illegal or unfair in the workplace, call Employment Law Professionals, Sherwood, Oregon, employment law attorneys.