Typical Signs of Illegal Workplace Retaliation

May 23, 2018

If you have filed a valid complaint against your employer, strict federal and state laws are in place that will provide you protection from retaliation.

It is illegal for employers to react to complaints by forcing a sudden or unexplained switch of job assignments, demoting an employee, denying a promotion or threatening the benefits of an employee after speaking out.

Some forms of retaliation are obvious while others can be subtle. However, employees have legal options if they have experienced retaliation and can enlist the help of a skilled attorney to assist them with their claim.

Anti-retaliation laws are enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC enforces laws that state current and potential employees cannot be discriminated against based on their sex, religion, race, age, disability or nationality.

Workplace retaliation has even surpassed race discrimination and comprises 45 percent of complaints, making it the most common complaint the EEOC encounters.

The following are the most common forms of retaliation by employers:

Work/Social Activities

This usually exceeds an employer excluding an employee from a casual office dinner. However, if an employee is not included in a lunch or dinner meeting in which business decisions are made, it could be considered a form retaliation.

Job Training

Exclusion from training that is offered to other employees and creates a challenge to perform your job duties on the same level as your co-workers.

Workplace Bullying

Workplace bullying can occur if you report discrimination and your employer either ignores your complaints or verbally abuses you because of it. Bullying can also negatively affect your emotional health and possibly make it difficult to perform tasks.

Denied a Raise or Promotion

If you have filed a workplace complaint and did not receive an expected promotion or raise because of this action, it could be considered a form of retaliation by your employer.

Employers are legally prohibited from engaging in retaliation practices against workers who have filed a complaint. It is unlawful for employers to victimize their employees and legal action can be taken against those who have.

If your employer retaliated against you after you filed a complaint, contact our experienced employment protection attorneys at Phillips Law Group. Our lawyers will fight for your rights and hold your employer accountable for any form of retaliation or discrimination that occurred. We will provide you with a consultation where we review your claim to determine if it requires legal action and entitles compensation.

Free consultation by phone: 1-800-706-3000 or fill out a Case Evaluation formto get started.No fees to start your case and no fees unless we win your case.