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Employer Retaliation Protection Lawyers
Have you experienced a wrongful termination from your job because you spoke up about being harassed? Were you denied a raise because you filed a complaint about discrimination in the workplace? These are signs that you may have been a victim of employer retaliation simply because you spoke up and exercised your right to report grievances.
The Chicago employer retaliation lawyers at GWC Injury Lawyers have years of experience representing employees who have suffered because of the illegal actions of their employers. If you feel that your employee rights have been violated, call today to schedule a free, confidential consultation with someone from our experienced team of Chicago wage violation lawyers.
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Retaliation Definition
The basic definition of retaliation means to take revenge against someone or simply to get back at that person. When applied in the workplace, it can mean that your employer has punished you for speaking up or reporting unlawful conduct.
Oftentimes, an employee will report feelings of discrimination whether over age, sex, disability, or race or about not receiving fair pay for equal work. If an employer reacts in a way that adversely affects your employment, such as disciplining you, denying a raise, reassigning a job, or wrongful termination, you may have grounds for an employer retaliation lawsuit.
Employee rights allow people to express concerns they have in the workplace without fear of retaliation or backlash from their employers, who may not like what they have to say. Our Chicago employer retaliation lawyers can help you get the justice you deserve if your rights have been violated.
Demonstrating Retaliation in the Workplace
Federal labor laws protect both current and past employees from retaliation from an employer. An employer cannot punish an employee for participating in a legally protected activity. These types of protected activities include:
- Opposition: You disagree with the actions of your employer and believe that they have acted in an unlawful way through some form of discrimination or harassment.
- Participation: You have participated in an investigation, lawsuit, or hearing regarding the potential illegal actions of your employer.
In order to prove your employer retaliation case, you will need to demonstrate the following three things:
- You participated in one of the protected activities mentioned above
- You were a victim of wrongful termination or your employment was adversely affected in some way
- You must show causation between the protected activity and the adverse effect on your employment
You should keep documentation of the alleged behavior and keep track of details from before and after you made a complaint. This information will be especially helpful in putting together a strong claim. Our employer retaliation lawyers will work with you to investigate and prove your claim.
Examples of Employer Retaliation
The following are some examples of retaliation:
- Were you demoted after you confirmed to your employer that a fellow employee’s discrimination complaint was truthful?
- Did your employer threaten you or try to intimidate you when you spoke up about being treated unfairly compared with other employees?
- Was your pay reduced or were you passed over for a promotion because you refused to participate in illegal activities?
- Did you experience wrongful termination because you complained about harassment or discrimination?
- Were you suspended from your job because you complained about working conditions or how you were treated by your boss?
Employer retaliation cases are not limited to this list, but include any form of action that has an adverse effect on your employment and resulted from you reporting unlawful behavior conducted by your employer.
