It’s natural to feel enthused about a new job, especially if you’ve just graduated from school, or have been out of work for a while, or you just got out of a job you hated. After your week of onboarding and training, you’re ready to give your new employer your best shot, envisioning yourself quickly moving up the ranks because of your indefatigable work ethic.
There are many ways, oppressive practices may shadow your bright future in the company in the workplace, including unfair treatment for worker’s compensation, unfair wage practices, or intimidation and harassment.
Unfair Denial of Worker’s Comp
If you slip or fall on the job or have some type of accident because of an unsafe workplace, you may be stunned to discover that your employer disputes your legitimate worker’s compensation claim.
In truth, your employer’s denial of your rights to get financial assistance for your medical bills after the accident has almost nothing to do with the accident itself. Since most states require companies to buy worker’s comp insurance, employers have to pay an insurance premium. By limiting the number of worker’s comp claims filed, they avoid paying higher premiums, especially if they are asked to cover the cost of surgery or other expensive medical procedures.
Employers and their insurers use many ways to weasel out of respecting your legal rights to compensation to cover expenses as a result of an accident:
- They might minimize the seriousness of your injury and claim that you are malingering, accusing you of exaggerating the extent of your injury after an accident or cumulative trauma injury to get financial gains.
- They might deny your claim because it didn’t occur on the job site.
- They might argue that medical treatment is unnecessary.
- They might say that there is no reason for you to get time off after an injury.
What should you do?
You should fight this denial of benefits by hiring a personal injury attorney. Research reputable lawyers in your city who specialize in the type of injury you experienced. If, say, you worked in New York City and fell at work because of a slippery floor and injured your lumbar vertebrae, you could hire slip and fall attorneys in NYC. You can find out more about the law regarding slip and fall accidents at work from this website: https://www.fightingforyou.com/practices/slip-trip-fall/
Unfair Wages
Although you probably signed up for your job because the company promised fair wages or accepted a low-paying job because you were told it was only for a probationary period, you might be frustrated to discover that your employer does not pay at all, docks your payment for alleged infraction of company rules, or pays wages late. Speak to the experts at Workplace Fairness to avoid being exploited by employers who use unfair wage practices.
Intimidation And Harassment
Although there are strict laws against sexual or physical harassment at work, subtle forms of harassment are also common in workplaces. For instance, managers may exploit your naivete about your job description or co-workers may conspire against you behind your back with their favorite supervisors because your better education or desire to make a positive difference in the company makes them feel threatened.
If this is happening to you and the head of human resources is not helpful, then visit The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) website to find out about your options. This government agency enforces federal laws regarding harassment against an employee.
In conclusion, if you experience unfair issues at work, you should fight for your rights as an employee. Don’t get intimidated by managers or too scared of losing your job to advocate for your employee rights. Labor laws are designed to protect employees from unfair practices in the workplace.
