The Kickass Entrepreneur
  • About
  • Blog
    • All Blogs
    • Create Wealth (Investing)
    • Entrepreneur Interviews
    • Featured Top Posts
    • Growing Profits
    • Growing Revenues
    • Marketing
    • Positive State of Mind
    • Real Estate Investing
    • Retirement
    • Sales
    • Selling your Business
  • Book
  • Courses
  • Podcast
  • Resources
  • Contact
The Kickass Entrepreneur
Subscribe
The Kickass Entrepreneur
  • About
  • Blog
    • All Blogs
    • Create Wealth (Investing)
    • Entrepreneur Interviews
    • Featured Top Posts
    • Growing Profits
    • Growing Revenues
    • Marketing
    • Positive State of Mind
    • Real Estate Investing
    • Retirement
    • Sales
    • Selling your Business
  • Book
  • Courses
  • Podcast
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • All Blogs

Workplace Retaliation — What Is It and What to Do When You Face It

  • January 28, 2022
  • 2.9K views
  • 5 minute read
  • Rene
a macbook shows the phrase how do we adapt
Share
Tweet
Share

Employees are becoming increasingly aware of their rights and social responsibilities. More often than ever before, people dare to speak up and seek justice when they feel they have been mistreated in the workplace. Moreover, many behaviors and attitudes that used to be widely accepted are now being recognized as harmful and condemned.

Yet, not all such stories have happy endings. Sadly, in many cases, these brave employees face even more difficulties. These situations have become so prevalent that there’s even a law specialization, the so-called whistleblower lawyer, that takes care of such cases.

Workplace retaliation occurs when someone tries to exercise their legal rights, usually regarding protection from harassment or discrimination, and faces the consequences from their employer. It can take many forms, but it’s vital to remember that the law protects workers from retaliation as well.

Below, we delve deeper into the subject, expanding on what work retaliation is, what can incite it, and what to do when you have to face it.

What Is Workplace Retaliation?

Retaliation, in general, is a response to someone’s actions, typically negative. In the workplace, it can manifest itself in many ways: firing an employee, moving them to a worse position, giving them a bad performance review, and more. It’s meant to dissuade employees from taking action against their employers for fear of suffering similar consequences.

What Can Incite Workplace Retaliation?

Workplace retaliation occurs when someone faces an adverse action from their employer (or someone acting on behalf of their employer) due to them exercising their legal rights or whistleblowing.

Here is a list of things that can incite workplace retaliation:

  • Protection from harassment or discrimination;
  • Executing the right to take leave under the Family Medical Leave Act;
  • Organizing a union;
  • Reporting misconduct or accidents in the workplace;
  • Refusing to do something which your employer asks you to do because you think it might be harmful to you or the people around you (e.g., if your boss asks you to lie about how long you were sick for);
  • Filing for workers’ compensation when you were punished for calling in sick too many times;
  • Filing for workers’ compensation when you were punished for being too ill to work;
  • Taking time off work to fulfill a legal obligation (for example, attending court hearings);
  • Taking time off work to serve on jury duty;
  • Filing a claim with the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission);
  • Refusing to perform illegal activities asked by your employer or superior;
  • Refusing to fix safety violations (e.g., if your boss tells you to go into a dangerous area without safety gear).

In some cases, simply being associated with someone who has exercised one of these rights can be enough to invite retaliation. This is particularly true in cases where the employer fears losing customers or facing bad publicity.

What to Do in Case of Workplace Retaliation?

There are many ways to deal with workplace retaliation. If you feel that you’ve been, or are going to be, retaliated against, your first move should be to talk to a lawyer and learn your rights under the law. You can also file a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The EEOC’s mission is to investigate discrimination and retaliation claims and take action to stop them, thus ensuring that workers are treated equally. Cases of workplace retaliation are taken very seriously by the EEOC, meaning that filing a complaint will not put your job or future employment opportunities in jeopardy.

Any employee who has been subjected to negative actions on the basis of exercising their legal rights can consider whether they have been subjected to retaliation and file a complaint.

Your best bet, though, is to act as soon as possible. Don’t wait until you’ve started seeing negative repercussions at work because it will be more challenging to prove your actions caused them.

To successfully claim retaliation, you’ll need evidence of how you were treated differently from before. For example, if your boss has always been rude to you but suddenly started acting like you were their best friend only after you complained about harassment, be ready to prove it.

The same goes for any other employee from whom you might have sought support. If they’re now being treated differently, make sure you have evidence to back up your claims.

You could also try documenting everything in writing, such as emails you write to your employer or notes on what happens every time you face retaliation.

As mentioned above, some laws shield employees from retaliation. Make sure to familiarize yourself with them and know how to protect your interests.

For example, the Americans with Disabilities Act protects workers with disabilities from retaliation when they complain about harassment or discrimination. The Family Medical Leave Act prevents employers from punishing employees who take leave due to pregnancy, childbirth, or a family member’s medical condition.

On the other hand, the Fair Labor Standards Act protects employees who report violations of any labor laws, including minimum wage and overtime legislation.

The Bottom Line

Workplace retaliation is a serious issue that can have devastating consequences for employees. However, there are laws in place to protect workers and ensure they don’t have to face the consequences for being honest, seeking justice, or standing up for what they believe in.

The best thing you can do is know your rights and learn how to deal with workplace retaliation before it happens. If you do that, you should be ready to tackle any issues coming your way.

Workplace retaliation is often challenging to prove. However, it’s not impossible. If you believe you’re a victim of an employer’s retaliation, don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer and discuss your options for protecting your rights.

____________________________________________________

Some other articles you might find of interest:

Understand how you can maximize your time to grow your business:

Time Is Money And Your Most Valuable Resource. Use it Wisely to Build Your Business

Looking for effective ways to drive and increase traffic to your startup website?

SEO Traffic Guide To Boost Your Blog Rankings

Looking for effective ways to drive and increase traffic to your startup website?

3 Top Reasons Why Startups Fail and How Not to Become a Victim

Thank you for your interest in THE KICKASS ENTREPRENEUR'S GUIDE TO INVESTING. Three Simple Steps to Build Massive Wealth with your Business's Profits. Please check your email to confirm the book download. Form: 400529

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Related Posts:

  • These Advances in Construction Technology are Changing The Face of the…
  • Inclusion in the Workplace: How Managers Can Achieve It
  • Managing Workplace Accidents in San Diego
  • How to Keep Employees Healthy and Happy in the Workplace
  • Best Workplace Award Styles for 2023
  • 4 Ways to Protect Your Employees in The Workplace
Share
Tweet
Share
Rene

Previous Article
graph of website's traffic
  • All Blogs

Tips To Improve Your Website’s Foot Traffic

  • January 28, 2022
  • Rene
View Post
Next Article
luxury car
  • All Blogs

Buying a Used Luxury Car? Here Is What You Need to Know

  • January 31, 2022
  • Rene
View Post
You May Also Like
man touching a woman's shoulder
View Post
  • All Blogs

Addressing Emotional Distress from Sexual Harassment in San Diego: A Legal Perspective

  • September 20, 2023
  • Meg Rivera
writing
View Post
  • All Blogs

8 Essential Steps for Impeccable Essay Proofreading and Editing

  • September 20, 2023
  • Meg Rivera
Net worth by age percentile calculator for Canada
View Post
  • All Blogs
  • Financial and Investment Calculators and Economic Data

Net Worth By Age Percentile Calculator for Canada with 2023 Data

  • September 9, 2023
  • Jeff Wiener
waste disposal
View Post
  • All Blogs

Dumpster Diving: A Guide to Efficient Waste Disposal

  • September 6, 2023
  • Meg Rivera
form 1040-x
View Post
  • All Blogs
  • Business

Mastering Form 1040-X: Your Guide to Amended Returns

  • September 3, 2023
  • Jeff Wiener
ohio tax rate
View Post
  • All Blogs
  • Business

Navigating Ohio’s Tax Rates: A Comprehensive Overview

  • September 3, 2023
  • Jeff Wiener
Safe workplace yellow out of service tag placing on RCD residual
View Post
  • All Blogs

Managing Workplace Accidents in San Diego

  • August 29, 2023
  • Meg Rivera
australia
View Post
  • All Blogs

Unleash Fun: Get 30 Free Spins in Australia’s Online gaming Scene

  • August 21, 2023
  • Meg Rivera

Join 6,472 Entrepreneurs That Get My Business Building and Wealth Creation Posts by Email

I can teach you how to build a successful, profitable business, and turn that into millions in personal wealth.

Thank you for your interest in THE KICKASS ENTREPRENEUR'S GUIDE TO INVESTING. Three Simple Steps to Build Massive Wealth with your Business's Profits. Please check your email to confirm the book download. Form: 400529

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

Recent Posts
  • man and papers 1
    Targeting Millennials: Real Estate Marketing Strategies For The Next Generation of Homebuyers
    • September 22, 2023
  • loan types 2
    Smart Borrowing: Determining How Much You Can Afford To Borrow
    • September 22, 2023
  • handyman 3
    Effective Strategies To Advertise Your Handyman, Landscaping, or Plumbing Services
    • September 22, 2023
  • happy woman 4
    Kickass Ideas to Maintain Customer and Employee Loyalty
    • September 21, 2023
  • Real estate broker agent presenting and consult to customer to d 5
    The Return on Investment (ROI) of Mortgage CRM Investments
    • September 20, 2023
Featured Posts
  • Become a Decamillionaire
    How to Become a Decamillionaire, Grow your Net Worth to $10 Million, and Join the 1% Club
  • how to become wealthy
    The Entrepreneur’s Secret to How to Become Wealthy and Build a Personal Fortune
  • Most Profitable Small Businesses
    27 of the Most Profitable Small Businesses to Open in 2023
Categories
  • All Blogs (1,077)
  • Business (410)
  • Canadian Financial Products (4)
  • Create Wealth (Investing) (134)
  • Entrepreneur Interviews (27)
  • Featured Post for Main Menu (4)
  • Featured Top Posts (23)
  • Finance (112)
  • Financial and Investment Calculators and Economic Data (118)
  • Fitness (9)
  • Growing Profits (72)
  • Growing Revenues (115)
  • Growing Revenues (71)
  • Marketing (161)
  • Millionaire and Business owner interviews (3)
  • Positive State of Mind (69)
  • Real Estate Investing (17)
  • Retirement (13)
  • Reviews (13)
  • Sales (16)
  • Sell Me This Pen (8)
  • Selling your Business (13)
  • Starting a Business (1)
  • Startup Ideas (18)
  • Technology (194)
  • Top Products (4)
  • Uncategorized (62)
Follow us
Author
Jeff Wiener
Jeff sold his company to private equity in 2017 and is now semi-retired. Jeff spends time…

    CHECK OUT MY BLOG, AND SUBSCRIBE

    about
    The Kickass Entrepreneur

    Expand Your Business, Improve Profits, Create Wealth

    Expand your business, improve your profits, and create wealth. Each one of the three can be elusive goals. Follow the right steps, and you, too, can create financial independence. It is possible … you just have to take the right steps.
    NAVIGATION
    • About
    • Blog
      • All Blogs
      • Create Wealth (Investing)
      • Entrepreneur Interviews
      • Featured Top Posts
      • Growing Profits
      • Growing Revenues
      • Marketing
      • Positive State of Mind
      • Real Estate Investing
      • Retirement
      • Sales
      • Selling your Business
    • Book
    • Courses
    • Podcast
    • Resources
    • Contact
    TAGS
    apartment BATNA Business business failure business growth business sale Capitalization Rate CAP Rate cash cash flow Creating Wealth Discipline entrepreneur entrepreneurship excel extra cash Featured goal setting Growing Business investing investment real estate M&A marketing Marketing KPIs Mergers and Acquisitions | M&A | Entrepreneur Blog Millionaire millionaire next door mistakes MUR Peter Principle Profit profitability real estate retirement revenue Revenues sales sales management Semi-Retirement Blog | Entrepreneur Blog | Small Business Blog small business Stagnant stocks success Thomas Stanley wealth
    RECENT ARTICLES
    • horse jockey
      Top 5 Most Successful Horse Racing Jockeys Ever
      • September 8, 2023
    • man and papers
      Active vs. Passive Investing: Which Is Right for You?
      • August 8, 2023
    • seoul
      How Seoul Internships Shape Your Professional Journey
      • July 24, 2023
    • casino
      Empower Yourself With These 5 Lifelong Skills For Success In Casino Business
      • June 23, 2023
    • Real Estate Brokerage
      Factors That Affect Real Estate Commission Rates
      • June 21, 2023
    • Digital online marketing commerce sale concept. Woman using tablet payments online shopping and icon customer network connection on hologram virtual screen, m-banking and omni channel.
      A Savvy Shopper’s Guide to Purchasing Power Tools Online
      • May 23, 2023
    The Kickass Entrepreneur
    • Coaching
    • Book
    • Blog
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Disclaimer
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn

    Input your search keywords and press Enter.