When you get an offer letter from your dream company, it is probably one of the best days of your life. You share the happy news with your friends and family and even go out for a celebration. However, things can turn a pretty ugly turn if you are not aware of your employment rights. These rights will help you throughout your career and, thus, are important.
While most people are aware that employees enjoy certain rights, they do not know what exactly these are. This allows the employers or other people in the workplace to take advantage of your lack of legal knowledge. The last thing you want is to feel out of place in your own workplace. Hire an attorney today to protect your employment rights.
Basic employment rights every employee should be aware of
- Right to a safe and healthy workplace.
Every employee has the right to work in a healthy and safe environment that is free of any danger that could risk their mental or physical health. It includes various measures, including safety equipment, proper training, and protocols to prevent any possible accidents. Every employee has the right to raise their voice against any unsafe or negative work environment.
- Right to not be discriminated.
Laws are established to protect employees from getting discriminated against in the workplace. It is every employee’s right to get fair treatment without any harassment and discrimination based on their religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender, and so on. This nondiscrimination policy extends to all aspects of employer-employee relationships, including promotions, recruiting, hiring, etc.
- Equal pay for equal work.
It means that every employer has the duty to pay equal wages to women, men, or even temporary staff who are performing the same tasks and responsibilities. Unfortunately, there is still a gap in pay scales between men and women despite repeatedly focusing on gender equality and women empowerment.
Research shows that women get less paid than men for the similar jobs they perform. Every employee must know that it is their right to get equally paid for the work they perform.
- Right to get family and medical leave.
Every employee should be granted a set length of unpaid leave for various reasons, such as the adoption or birth of a child or taking care of a family member with critical health conditions, depending on the firm size of the company. It is also the employer’s responsibility to provide employees with health insurance benefits during this time off.
If you believe your employment rights were violated, hire an attorney today.