Workplace Retaliation in California
What is Workplace Retaliation?
California has many laws that exist to protect workers rights and to defend them from discrimination and harassment. Employees who are punished or targeted by their employers are urged to talk with a workplace retaliation attorney and learn more about the avenues accessible to them for actions that are maintained by law.
Labor codes protect workers rights to speak out against discrimination, to engage in workplace investigations, and to “blow the whistle” on illegal activity, without fear of being terminated or otherwise mistreated by the employer. Nevertheless, it is not unusual for employers to try to punish employees engaged in these legally sanctioned activities by skipping them for promotions, transferring them to undesirable locations, excluding them from workplace training and mentoring opportunities, and beyond.
Such actions fall under the legal heading of workplace retaliation. The rule of thumb is that if the negative action of the employer would deter a reasonable person in the situation from speaking out or filing a complaint, there are legal grounds for viewing it as retribution.
Under federal law, workers have the legal right to complain either internally or to outside entities such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, and other federal agencies; these complaints may relate to harassment or discrimination without the workplace. These legal rights are upheld even if the concerns about unlawful conduct turn out to be untrue as long as the complaints were made in good faith.
Federal laws safeguard workers who collaborate in investigations or serve as witnesses in litigation, including litigation against the employer. The law also safeguards the act of “whistleblowing” speaking out against an unsafe workplace, illegal activity, or the suppression of workers rights.
In addition to these federal protections, there are many state laws that further clarify or expand workers rights, such as the right to file a worker’s claim for compensation without fear of retaliation. When it comes to retaliation at work, California has a number of laws that protect employee rights.
Consult an Employment Lawyer
If you believe you are the subject of workplace retaliation, the first thing you should do is hire an employment law attorney or a whistleblower retaliation attorney who can advise on your case.
Speak to one of our experienced Whistleblower Attorneys in California call (415) 534-1911 or email us to schedule a free, confidential consultation.