When an employer takes negative actions against an employee as a way to punish him or her for participating in a legally protected activity, that is considered retaliation. Retaliation is against the law, and injured workers may need extra help from a lawyer to safeguard their best interests. Determining whether you have suffered from retaliation can be difficult, but here are some of the most common ways retaliation can happen:
- Demoted to another department or job position
- Unfairly disciplined
- Purposefully created hostile work environment
- Reduction in salary/wages
- Shift reassignments that cause hardship
- Exclusion from trainings, promotion opportunities, or meetings
To show retaliation has happened, you must have proof that you were subjected to adverse actions due to reporting a workplace injury accident. The more evidence you have, the stronger the link will be between the injury incident and your employer’s negative actions.
Most employers are not going to admit to retaliation, as they know it is against the law. An employer may even go as far as making up false claims about the employee’s work performance, as a way to make it seem like they are being let go for valid reasons. When in fact, an employer may have let the worker go in an effort to save the company money.
If you are concerned that you may have been a victim of retaliation in the workplace, it is in your best interest to speak with a lawyer right away. Your lawyer can assess the evidence you have and inform you of your options. To learn more about your rights, contact a reputable Workers Compensation Lawyer, such as a lawyer from Rispoli & Borneo, P.C.