People who belong to a group that has legal protections against employment discrimination often talk about suffering “microaggressions” at work – even if they haven’t faced blatant, legally actionable discrimination. They may not use – or even know – that word....
Why is sexual harassment so hard to report?
Workplace sexual harassment remains a pervasive issue that affects countless individuals worldwide. Despite increased awareness and efforts to combat this problem, many cases of sexual harassment go unreported. Please continue reading to delve into the complex factors...
When can you pursue a wage and hour claim?
While many companies do their best to provide employees with decent wages that include overtime pay, some fail to comply with acceptable standards or even legal requirements. Some employers will even go as far as deducting wages below minimum wage which is against...
Can your employer prohibit you from speaking another language?
Under both federal and state law, employers are prohibited from discriminating against people based on their national origin. This prohibition includes not just discrimination against anyone born outside the U.S. According to the Department of Labor (DOL), national...
What do you need to know about workplace retaliation?
Retaliation in the workplace occurs when an employer or manager takes adverse action against an employee because the employee engaged in a legally protected activity. Legal protections apply to these situations because employees should be free to participate freely in...
Why does discrimination in the workplace exist?
Discrimination in the workplace can affect someone's career significantly, as it creates a hostile work environment. The U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines employment discrimination as unfair treatment towards someone because of their race,...
What the recent Supreme Court ruling means for overtime pay
There is just enough nuance in overtime law for workers to find the rules confusing. Typically, hourly workers have a right to overtime wages, but those paid on a salary basis often do not receive overtime pay. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, as those...
Key examples of potential wage theft
As an employee, you certainly know that wage theft is detrimental to you on numerous levels, and you hope that it never happens. However, you may also see reports making claims that wage theft is the biggest type of theft in the United States or a bigger issue than...
Why your employer is responsible for harassment outside work
Many employees – and even many employers – think that an organization is only responsible for sexual harassment when it occurs in the workplace or at least during the workday or at a work-related event like a company picnic or holiday party. In fact, employers’...
Understanding a hostile work environment and your rights
Hostile work environments occur when inappropriate behavior results in harassment that makes employees feel unsafe and makes it impossible or hard for them to do their job. From a legal standpoint, workplace harassment is a type of employment discrimination. ...