What rights do you have as an employee?

As an employee, you have a series of rights. When you’re hired, you’re not your employer’s slave. You’re protected by the law in many ways to prevent harassment, discrimination and other problems on the job.

Employer-employee relationships can be complicated, but employment law attempts to address all possible issues ahead of time, giving employers and employees the knowledge they need to make good decisions about the workplace environment.

Employees have a standard set of rights including the right to fair compensation, privacy and freedom from discrimination. Even before you’re hired, you have the right not to be harassed or discriminated against based on your gender, race, religion or national origin. Did you know that your employer can’t ask you family-related questions when you’re applying for a job? That’s right, doing so could show that the employer is basing decisions on your background, which is illegal.

Other rights you have in the workplace include the right to work in a safe environment, to be free from retaliation if you have to report a hazard or other problem in the workplace, to receive fair wages and to be in an environment without harassment or discrimination of any kind.

There are several key laws that protect you in the workplace including the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Americans With Disabilities Act and Title VII. Thanks to these laws, you cannot be a victim of discrimination based on being 40 years of age or older, having a disability, your gender or other factors that may apply. If you are discriminated against, these laws help your attorney fight for your case.

Source: FindLaw, “Employees Rights 101,” accessed May 02, 2018