Recent payouts are evidence that retaliation does exist

On Behalf of | Jun 17, 2016 | Employee Rights

When you work for a company, especially over a long period of time, it can feel like you are a team. You’ve got the employer’s back; the employer’s got yours. But what happens when your employer seemingly turns its back on you?

Workers devote a significant portion of their lives to their jobs. Sometimes, those jobs unfortunately take a toll on an employee’s well-being. When injuries or illnesses are the result of work, workers’ compensation benefits are there to support an employee through a difficult period.

And they should be there, available for an injured worker to claim without fear of doing so.

Recent cases throughout the country show that retaliation does occur in the workplace. Juries have fined businesses substantially upon hearing evidence that the employers somehow retaliated against workers who filed workers’ comp claims.

Retaliation can take various forms. A worker’s employment might be terminated. Maybe he or she doesn’t get a promotion, is demoted or assigned tasks that are not common or appropriate for the position. Claims that can lead to retaliation might be workers’ compensation-related, but they could also be regarding matters such as sexual harassment and discrimination.

States have their own workers’ compensation and retaliation laws. The Workers’ Compensation Board notes that it is illegal in New York to discriminate/retaliate against someone who has filed a workers’ comp claim; it is also illegal to discriminate/retaliate against a worker who might be testifying in the worker’s case.

Therefore, if you feel that you’re the target of retaliation following the report of a work incident, you might have legal options. Work with an employment law attorney in your area who understands how disheartening it can be when someone who’s given so much time to a business is treated like an outsider for simply asserting his or her rights.

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