Retaliation in the Workplace

If you report discrimination, harassment or other violations of your rights in the workplace to your employer, the law may protect you from punishment or retaliation. The law also protects an employee who participates in an investigation or files a lawsuit against an employer for discrimination, harassment, or other workplace violations. Retaliation is also often prohibited by contract and/or employee manuals or handbooks.

If you have a genuine and reasonable basis to believe that your complaints are legitimate, even if you turn out to be wrong, your employer violates the law if he or she takes actions against you that negatively affects your employment.

Retaliation can take many forms, such as disciplinary actions, negative performance evaluations, issuance of warnings, salary reduction, demotion, firing, change in shift assignment, or change in job assignment. Retaliation may also include hostile attitudes or behavior by employers, including managers, supervisors, human resources representatives, or coworkers, toward an employee who complained.

The law encourages employees to assert their rights and the law often prohibits employers from penalizing you for doing so. If you believe your employer is retaliating against you, we would be pleased to meet and discuss your concerns. Please call us at (212) 425-4250 or contact us online.

Find out more about what it means to be the victim of a hostile work environment.