Whether you work for a multinational organization or a small start-up, it’s essential to understand your rights as an employee. That way, if you ever find yourself in a position where your legal rights have been contravened, you will know what to do. Employee Rights Attorney Group is here to answer any questions you might have, but in the meantime here are just a few of your employee rights covered under federal law:

Wages- You have a right to earn a fair wage, and to be paid for all the work you do. The Fair Labor Standards Act is a federal law designed to enforce rules relating to overtime, to ensure that any extra hours you work are fully compensated. You also have the right to a minimum wage, which currently sits at $7.25 per hour.

Discrimination- You have the right not to be discriminated against in the workplace. You can’t be fired, harassed, denied promotion or otherwise disadvantaged because of factors such as age, race, gender or religion. These are deemed to be protected classes- employers are not permitted to take them into consideration. 

Wrongful Termination- Of course, employers are at liberty to hire and fire whomever they want. But there are occasions where the dismissal of an employee might be in contravention of their legal rights. If, for instance, the dismissal was the result of an employee’s protected class status. Another example would be if the employee were terminated as a retaliatory move for engaging in practices such as whistleblowing. 

Medical Leave- If you experience a health issue that prevents you from working, or you are the registered caregiver for a family member suffering from a health issue, then your rights under federal law permit you to take a certain amount of leave. This varies depending on your role and the size of your employer, so it is a good idea to read up on this if you are unsure.

Background Checks- If you are taken on by an employer in a role requiring a background check into your criminal history, your arrest record, your credit rating or financial background, then federal law prevents said checks from being conducted without your prior knowledge. Your signed authorization is required, and if anything arises during the checks which adversely affects your employment prospects, you will receive evidence of this in writing to enable you to dispute its contents if necessary.