Employer retaliation can take on many forms, and it is illegal in any form. When employees experience this type of treatment, they may feel unsure of how they should react and what action they should take next. Despite these reservations, any Rhode Island employee who experiences employer retaliation has the right to fight back.
There are both state and federal laws that prohibit retaliation from employers, yet unfortunately, it still happens. If you feel that you are being unfairly punished by your employer for any reason, you may be a victim of this type of illegal action. Retaliation is one of the most common forms of discrimination, and you do not have to tolerate this type of mistreatment.
What is employer retaliation?
Most often, retaliation happens when an employer is unhappy with an employee for behaviors such as:
- Reporting various type of harassment in the workplace
- Filing a whistleblower claim
- Turning in a superior for illegal or inappropriate activities
- Cooperating with an investigation against an employer
- Refusing to participate in illegal activities when asked by a superior
- Seeking lawful accommodations for religious practices or a disability
Because it comes in many different forms, it can be difficult to know if what you experienced was actually retaliation from an employer. You may have grounds to move forward with a civil claim if you experienced any of the following:
- Unexplained termination
- Loss of title or demotion
- Change in benefits
- Denial of a promotion
- Ongoing harassment
If you experienced retaliation for simply acting lawfully, you may find it appropriate to seek compensatory damages for your losses and emotional duress. Not only can you hold your employer accountable for what you experienced, you may be able to prevent this from happening to another person by speaking up and taking action.
How you can protect your rights
One of the most productive steps you can take as a victim of employer retaliation is to speak up. Simply by speaking up and seeking a full understanding of your legal options, you can know what you should do next and how you can pursue the compensation to which you have a rightful claim.
Any type of discriminatory or unlawful treatment from your employer is not something you must tolerate or suffer through in silence. You deserve to know your rights, and you are entitled to a workplace free from harassment, discrimination and other types of mistreatment from your employer.