It is more than natural that if you are being treated unfairly at work, one day you may decide enough is enough and quit. This is especially true if you are the victim of verbal or physical abuse, sexual harassment, or harassment based on your race or ethnicity. However, doing so would give your employer cause to allege that you quit your employment, which would eventually harm your capacity to seek legal protection.
Keep reading to learn what your options are and then contact PLBH at (800) 435-7542 to request a free legal consultation from a local employment law attorney.
It is illegal for your employer to fire you for bringing a harassment complaint
In certain cases, employers may be seeking for an excuse to fire a worker they perceive to be a problem, possibly because the worker was speaking out against the harassment he or she was subjected to. The employer could terminate the employee’s employment even if they just left work a few hours early or took a break to relax. The employee can be charged with leaving or giving up their job.
Employees are thus forced to choose between quitting and risking their employment or putting up with potentially unacceptable circumstances. However, an expert employment attorney claims that there are other solutions that might assist workers in defending their rights and their jobs at the same time.
Call 911 if you are in an immediately dangerous situation
The first and most crucial thing to do if you feel uncomfortable at work is to dial 911. This covers scenarios in which a client or a coworker is threatening you. Your job can still be lost despite this since your employer might fire you for calling the police. However, it won’t just keep you safe and stop the issue from getting worse; it will also document what is occurring. However, you ought to leave right away if you feel very insecure and are being physically threatened.
Keep records of the harassment
Write it down rather than making a phone call or meeting in person if the behavior does not make you feel threatened. Be thorough while reporting. Make careful to emphasize that the acts of your coworkers, bosses, or others were motivated by your membership in a protected category rather than claiming that you were bullied or harassed (race, age, national origin, disability, gender, etc). Once again, doing so will aid in keeping a record of what goes on at work.
Document everything
Make sure to get permission in writing if you need to leave work. Write an email outlining what happened (for example, that you were subjected to sexual harassment by a coworker) and why you need to leave early so you can settle down or get to safety. It will be more challenging for your company to terminate your employment in the future if you obtain written approval from a supervisor or a human resources representative. If your manager gives you the go-ahead to quit orally, be careful to confirm in writing what they stated.
These procedures will allow you to document what is happening and any reasons you might feel the need to quit, even if they might not be sufficient to stop your employer from firing you. An experienced employment lawyer suggested that they could also be able to show that you were fired in retribution for reporting harassment or other inappropriate behavior at work.
At PLBH, we are aware of how challenging it may be to handle harassment and threatening conduct at work. We collaborate with our clients to develop methods for dealing with these circumstances in order to increase their prospects of preserving their employment and winning justice. Contact us right away at (800) 435-7542 or info@plblaw.com to find out more about how we can assist and to arrange a consultation.