by When most people think of employment law, they think of things like wrongful termination. While these are certainly important aspects of the law, there are many other benefits that employees are entitled to. In this blog post, we will discuss a few different labor law benefits that can help you in your career. Keep reading to learn more!
Table of Contents
Protection from Discrimination
Underemployment law, employees are protected from discrimination based on a number of factors, including race, religion, and national origin. This protection extends to hiring, firing, pay, promotions, and other terms and conditions of employment.
If you feel that you have been discriminated against at work, you should speak with an attorney right away. Discrimination can be a very serious offense, and can lead to legal action against your employer. You may also have a look at The Lacy Employment Law Firm to know more about this thing in particular.
Overtime Pay
Employees who work more than 40 hours in a week are entitled to overtime pay. This is determined by calculating the employee’s regular rate of pay and then multiplying it by one and a half times the number of hours worked over 40.
If you feel that you are not being paid correctly for overtime, you should speak with your employer or an attorney. You may be able to file a lawsuit against your employer to recover the wages that you are owed.
Protection from Retaliation
Underemployment law, employees are protected from retaliation for exercising their rights. This can include filing a complaint about discrimination or harassment, reporting an injury at work, refusing to perform illegal activities on the job, and more.
If you have been retaliated against for any of these reasons (or others), you should speak with an attorney right away. You may be able to file a lawsuit against your employer in order to recover damages such as lost wages and benefits.
Minimum Wage
Employees are entitled to be paid the minimum wage for all hours worked. So that basically sets a minimum limit for the wages to be paid. However, many states have set their own minimum wage rates which are higher than the federal rate.
If you feel that you are not being paid the correct minimum wage, you should speak with your employer or an attorney. You may also file a lawsuit against your employer so that you can recover pay and damages.
Workers’ Compensation
If you are injured or become ill as a result of your job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits can include medical expenses, income replacement, and more.
If you have been injured or become ill as a result of your job, you should speak with an attorney right away. You may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim in order to recover the benefits that you are owed.
Employees who work for tips are entitled to receive the full minimum wage. This means that employers cannot take tip credits against the minimum wage.
Protection from Wage Theft
Employees are also protected from wage theft, which can include not being paid for all hours worked, being paid below the minimum wage, or not receiving overtime pay.
Paid Time Off
Employees are entitled to take paid time off for certain reasons under the FMLA and other federal laws. This can include medical leave, family leave, military leave, and more.
If you have been denied paid time off that you are legally entitled to receive, you should speak with an attorney right away.
Protection from Discrimination and Harassment
Employees are protected from discrimination and harassment in the workplace. This can include not being hired for a job, being demoted or fired because of your race, gender , religion age (if over 40 ), national origin , pregnancy status , disability status , veteran status or genetic information.
If you feel that you have been discriminated against in the workplace due to any of these reasons (or others), you should speak with a legal source right away.
What Happens When Not Getting Legal Advice Soon Enough?
Some employees wait until they have a problem with their employer before seeking out legal help. This can be disastrous and can turn out to be very risky in the long run because it may lead to an employee into some losses to suffer.
When you are negotiating terms of employment contracts, it is best if both parties seek out independent counsel at the outset to ensure that all of your rights and obligations under law are protected.
You should also engage in open dialogue with each other about what type of work environment would suit both sides best – this ensures that everyone knows where they stand from day one so there will not be any surprises down the road when issues arise. This is best to consider if you want to avoid any problematic surprises later down on the road.
