The high volume of workplace discrimination complaints in the U.S. each year are daunting. Even more unsettling is the thought of all those claims which have gone unaddressed. Often, employees would rather not speak out about discriminatory practices in their workplace for fear of retaliation, typically in the form of termination, a demotion, or salary cuts. However, these unjust actions directly go against your retaliation protections as an employee.
Gain a better understanding about the types of retaliation protections you have in your workplace, and if you’ve experienced or witness workplace discrimination, consider seeking out professional help with the employment experts at Gokal Law.
Discrimination Claims & Retaliation Protections
Data from the EEOC on workplace claims in 2020 concluded that nearly 56% of all claims were based on retaliation, with around 67,000 total reports being filed. This makes retaliation claims the most common of 2020. Oftentimes, these claims go hand-in-hand with discrimination cases since they typically express concerns about workplace discrimination in some shape or form. This is why disability discrimination claims were the second most common case in 2020, right behind retaliation claims.
Additionally, the rate of disability discrimination claims is thought to have increased as a result of COVID-19. However, there are a handful of retaliation protections that you can leverage if you begin to investigate your workplace, speak out about visible discrimination, or directly report it to your superiors.
Retaliation Protections for Employees
Historical employment data outlines an unfortunate fact: employees who report discrimination in their workplace often face potential retaliation from their employer. Of course, this can commonly result in termination of their employment. To combat this, it’s important for employees to understand their rights and protections in the workplace.
Firstly, employees are protected from retaliation so long as they engage in a “protected activity.” These activities include investigating your workplace for discrimination, standing up to some form of discrimination, or simply complaining about it to your higher-ups. Since these are protected actions, your employer is prohibited from taking any retaliatory action against you in response.
Such actions from an employer aren’t limited to termination either. Any action which discourages an employee from speaking up about workplace discrimination qualifies as retaliatory. These include actions just short of termination, such as demotions or reductions in salary. Current employees, applicants, and former employees who experienced discrimination in their workplace are all protected, and may be entitled to financial compensation for any harm done.
Contact Gokal Law
Have you faced any of these unfortunate situations with a past or current employer? Contact Jibit Cinar of Cepkinian-Cinar Law.