Working each day is a necessity, though being mistreated by your employers is a dangerous possibility. From verbal or sexual harassment to being fired without reason, there are many ways that your employment could start to turn sour.
What is an employment lawyer and how can they help you in a time of crisis?
You don’t have to take mistreatment in the workplace lying down. Here are a few signs that you should hire an employment attorney.
1. Harassment or Discrimination Against You
One major reason to search for an employment attorney is if you are being harassed or discriminated against at work. This includes sexual harassment, as well as discrimination based on your gender identity, sexuality, race, ethnicity, age, or religious background. Harassment in the workplace is illegal and should be brought to the attention of an employment lawyer of Ontario.
It is also considered discrimination for a company to give out benefits to specific groups of individuals while excluding others. For example, if a male coworker is being given insurance benefits that are better than yours because you are a woman, an employment attorney can help. For more options, click here.
If you have reported your employer to your human resources department and faced retaliation as a result, you should handle the situation right away. This is another form of harassment. If you have experienced any similar problems, you should contact an employment attorney for help as soon as possible.
2. You Are Being Denied Your Benefits
An employer may attempt to deny your benefits to save money. This is illegal and should be acted upon right away, particularly if these benefits are in your employment contract with the company.
3. Violation of State or Federal Laws
There are many state and federal laws that protect employees. Some companies may try to skirt around these laws to save money, which can put their employees at risk.
These types of laws include, but are not limited to:
- Child labor laws
- Workplace safety laws
- Anti-discrimination laws
- Worker’s compensation
- Employee benefit security
- Laws relating to the garnishment of wages
- Family and Medical Leave Act
- And many more
Pay close attention to the laws in your state. If you discover or suspect that any of your state’s labor laws are being broken, you should contact a federal employment lawyer for assistance immediately.
4. Illegal Termination or Threat of Termination
Have you recently lost your job for seemingly no reason? Have you been threatened with termination and you can’t figure out why?
An employment attorney can work with you to protect you against illegal termination. Wrongful termination is often the result of retaliation if you have filed complaints against your employer. This is illegal and should be brought up with an attorney.
Even if you haven’t been fired yet, but the threat of termination is looming, you should hire an attorney for assistance. They can protect you from wrongful termination.
5. You Are Being Paid Less Than Minimum Wage
Companies are required by law to pay their employees minimum wage. Should your work hours exceed 40 hours in a week, they are legally obligated to give you overtime as well. Depending on where you live, there may be other wage laws your employer is required to go by.
You may find yourself hired on at a company at a certain rate, only to have your wages suddenly drop. If your earnings drop a significant amount, especially if they fall below minimum wage, you should contact an attorney.
If you are being paid less than minimum wage or are being denied overtime pay, you should hire an employment attorney. Please be aware that your minimum wage may vary depending on your state, though it should never fall below $7.25 per hour.
6. Hostile Work Environment
Discrimination and harassment don’t need to come directly from your employer in order to be considered illegal. If your coworkers or employers have created a hostile work environment, then you should contact an employment lawyer for help.
A hostile work environment is a work environment where you feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or unable to work. This directly violates anti-discrimination laws, so speak with an attorney immediately.
A few signs that your work environment has turned hostile include, but are not limited to:
- Verbal or nonverbal acts of aggression
- An inability to grow within your company
- Public shaming
- Too much competition in the workplace
- Extreme favoritism or nepotism
- Scapegoating where one person is being blamed for all company problems
Your employer must create and maintain a safe working environment for all of their employees. Contact an attorney if you feel unsafe at work.
7. You Don’t Feel Comfortable Confronting Your Boss Alone
Do you want to file a claim against your employer but don’t feel safe doing so? Are you concerned that you won’t have the necessary knowledge and experience to handle your case alone?
That’s reason enough to contact an employment contract lawyer for help. You should feel secure enough with your employer and your workplace to speak up about any issues you’re experiencing. If you feel unsafe speaking out, then a lawyer can help.
Follow up here for more information on hiring an employment lawyer.
Find the Employment Lawyer for You
While it is usually assumed that it is the employees that would need to seek the services of an employment lawyer, that is not always the case. Businesses too can seek help from the leading employment lawyers in Dubai if they feel that they are at the receiving end of flimsy and extortionist lawsuits from employees.
You don’t need to live with issues in your workplace. If you have struggled with discrimination, harassment, or other problems at work, then you should contact an employment lawyer right away.
Are you or a loved one experiencing difficulties in the workplace that you don’t know how to solve?
You don’t have to work through your problems alone. Don’t forget to share this article with friends and family to help them through difficult times and continue reading our blog for more helpful information.