When a business commits illegal activities like discrimination, wage and hour fraud, or tax crimes, an employee can feel powerless to do anything to stop it. When an employee is suffering from these infringements upon their employment rights, they may feel taking a stand against this behavior could jeopardize their career.
You may be surprised to learn that an employee who reports violations or illegal actions has legal rights in these situations. These are called whistleblower rights. They are in place to protect employees who stand against their employer’s illegal activity. What are these rights?
Whistleblower protections
If an employee reports any illegal activity that their employer was engaging in, employment laws limit how the employer can respond. Employers cannot retaliate against a whistleblower in any way. Examples of this retaliation include:
- Denying time off requests
- Malicious schedule manipulation
- Firing an employee
- Harassment over the report
- Denial of promotion or raise
Committing these or other forms of retaliation may be violations of employee rights, especially if the illegal activities were reported to a policing agency. If an employer infringed upon whistleblower rights in these or different ways, the employee may file a claim against their employer.
Defend your employee rights
If you are hesitant to report a workplace violation, or if you suspect that your employer has violated your employee rights, consult with an experienced employment law attorney right away. The attorney’s guidance can help you hold your employer accountable and guide you through your report of the illegal actions or violations.