The workplace environment can sometimes turn from a positive one to a negative one. Situations can cross the line to uncomfortable or even traumatizing. If you feel that you’ve been put into such a scenario, it may seem intimidating to think about taking on a big corporation in a legal setting. It is important to understand that you have certain rights that there are laws that are in place to protect you from detrimental events. Employment law Orlando can cover numerous workplace incidents, but here are a few examples when contacting an attorney can help understand your options.
Wrongful Termination
Being fired may always seem unreasonable to an employee. However, there are certain circumstances where this termination violates federal or state laws. One of these examples is due to discrimination. Other cases where a worker is protected from being directly terminated include:
- Requesting time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
- Missing work due to serving in the National Guard.
- Exposing unethical practices at the company.
- Preventing an employee from collecting commissions or bonuses.
Sexual Harassment
Every employee has the right to be treated with respect while at work. Unfortunately, people are sometimes sexually harassed according to their gender or sexual orientation. Additionally, there are times when one employee makes unwanted advances or comments to another. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes this behavior illegal. These typically fall into two distinct categories – quid pro quo and hostile environment. These require different types of evidence based on the scenario and your lawyer will understand how to approach each one.
Hostile Work Environment
If you feel that certain events at work have made it so uncomfortable to be there that doing your job is not possible, then you may be a candidate for protection under a hostile work environment. This can be due to jokes, comments and behavior associated with race, religion, age and disability. However, it is important to know that there are certain thresholds that must be met for a workplace to be considered hostile. This includes the acts being pervasive and your reports not being investigated seriously.
Discrimination
Discrimination can blend with other areas of employment law but it essentially comes down to this – you cannot be treated differently than others based on a number of protected classes such as age, race, religion and sex. This can present itself in areas involving hiring, firing, pay and promotions. Every employee has the right to be treated fairly in these situations.
