Discrimination at the workplace, in any form or manner, is unlawful and unforgivable. Employees often do not file a complaint or pursue a lawsuit, simply because they fear the consequences, or do not want to be labeled as the ‘troublemaker’. Unfortunately, incidents related to employer retaliation crop up in Massachusetts every year. If you have suffered something like this, consider talking to an employment lawyer or firm, such as Hayber, McKenna, & Dinsmore. There are some aspects worth knowing about employer retaliation cases.
Using your rights
As an employee, you have certain rights that are absolute. For instance, if you have worked beyond the standard norm of 40 hours, you should get time-and-a-half payment for the extra hours. If you have suffered discrimination at work, you should file a complaint, and your employer cannot retaliate for your action. In other words, don’t fear exercising your rights that the company grants you.
What exactly employer retaliation?
If an employer takes action against an employee for exercising their rights, or speaking out the truth, this can be broadly termed as employer retaliation. This kind of employer retaliation is prohibited by laws in Massachusetts and federal laws. There are several examples of such discrimination, such as termination of employment, harassment, demotion, taking unjustified disciplinary action, and giving poor performance reviews. Any sort of retaliation shouldn’t be taken for granted at the workplace, because the law always leans towards employees.
Reasons to hire an employment lawyer
Just because you believe that you have suffered employer retaliation doesn’t mean anything, at least initially. An experienced employment lawyer can give you a fair idea of your circumstances, along with a basic case evaluation. Expect your lawyer to work closely on your case, provided they take it, and depending on the facts of the case, a lawyer may work on a contingency basis. This simply means that the lawyer gets paid if they win a settlement. Of course, the scope of workplace discrimination case is huge, and for some cases, employment lawyers typically charge an hourly fee.
Final word
If you are working or hiring an employment lawyer in Massachusetts for the first time, make sure that they have enough experience and are board-certified. Ask them if a considerable share of their practice is dedicated to workplace discrimination lawsuits. If needed, you can check for reviews online or ask for references. It’s best to consult a lawyer at the earliest for building the workplace discrimination lawsuit for employer retaliation.
