Hire an Employment Attorney If You Experience These Workplace Issues

Conflicts in the workplace can take place. This is the reason laws that protect employees in their workplaces are in place. If you are an employee, you must know your rights to keep them protected.  And if you happen to be involved in any of the following workplace issues, you must protect your rights by speaking with an employment law attorney Virginia Beach. 

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a form of sex discrimination. Any person in a position of authority in the workplace is prohibited from behaving in some ways towards their workers. If unwelcome requests for sexual favors and sexual advances can create a hostile or offensive work environment, impacting an employee’s job performance, it is considered unlawful sexual harassment. In addition, retaliating against an employee for reporting sex discrimination is also not legal. 

Workplace Discrimination

Discrimination in the workplace based on sex, age, disability, race, sexual orientation, gender, religion, national origin, ethnicity, or genetic information is not legal under state and federal law. But, proving discrimination can be difficult. That is why victims must work with an experienced employment attorney. The attorney knows how to get evidence that will strengthen a claim. 

Retaliation

Employees have the right to take part in some protected activities under the law. Such activities range from filing for workers’ compensation benefits if injured due to a workplace accident to reporting sexual harassment behaviors. If an employer punishes an employee for their engagement in these activities, it is considered unlawful retaliation. Employees who retaliate may decide to terminate an employee, reduce the employee’s pay, demote, or change their work shifts unfairly. Those who have been mistreated for taking part in a protected activity must speak with an employment lawyer.

Wage and Hour Claims

Employees who are affected by wage and hour issues usually work in vulnerable industries where they may be taken advantage of by their bosses. Aside from addressing underpayment and non-payment of wages, wage and hour claims also address overtime issues, violations of break time protections for nursing mothers, inadequate break times, fair wages, tip compensation violations, and the right to get paychecks on time. 

Clare Louise