4 Employment Laws You Must Know About
Labour laws exist to protect employee rights from violation in the workplace. American workers are increasingly enforcing their rights, as data shows that settlement from the ten most significant employee-claim lawsuits increased by 55% from 2016 to 2017. Employees need to know fundamental workplace rights to prevent the common phenomenon of worker exploitation in a capitalist society. Do you want to know more about what rights and benefits the law says you must have at your workplace? Here are four points to consider.
1. Protection from discrimination
Employees have a right to a discrimination-free experience in the workplace. The Civil Rights Act and other federal employment discrimination laws outline that you must not suffer any prejudicial treatment at your workplace. The prohibited grounds for discrimination are; race or ethnic origin, sex, disability, citizenship status, genetic information, bankruptcy, sexual orientation, gender identity, union membership, religion, pregnancy, military service, or affiliation. If you are experiencing workplace discrimination, you should report it to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for redress and also look to hire professional workplace discrimination attorneys in LA (or closer to where you live). The legal penalty for guilty employers is as high as $300,000, and so it is in your employer's best interest to safeguard this particular right of yours.
2. Right to a safe workplace
The Occupational Health and Safety Act mandates your employer to enforce workplace standards that ensure employees' safe work environment. Consulting a legal firm such as Fendon Law is a great way to learn more about this act. A safe workplace means an environment free from known hazards that can negatively impact employee health and safety in any way. Consequently, it is within your rights as a worker to hold your employer liable for any injury you suffer within your workplace due to violation of workplace safety standards. Therefore, you should consider reaching out to personal injury attorneys devoted to your case to provide you with legal representation and help you secure fair compensation for various workplace-related injuries.
3. Right to fair wages
The Fair Labor Standards Act outlines the current federal minimum wage at $7.25 hourly. The Labor Act also makes overtime pay provisions, stressing that you must receive due payment for overtime work hours (above the standard forty-hour workweek). Therefore, it is against the law for your employer to pay you any lower rate than the appropriate minimum wage and overtime pay rates. The Department of Labor enforces this aspect of the Fair Labor Standards Act, and so you should contact them if you are experiencing unfair wage issues at your workplace.
4. Right to family and medical leave
Employee benefits are present in private and public sectors, with companies usually having custom benefits to appeal to a broader range of workers. As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 75% of private industry workers enjoyed paid sick leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act allows some employees to balance their family and work responsibilities by giving them time off for family and medical reasons. Therefore, you can take up to twelve weeks of unpaid protected leave to address your medical conditions, care for ailing loved ones, and birth and care of newborns. The law also demands that you should continue to enjoy group health benefits during your leave.
