At the end of the day, no job or career is more important than your health and safety. That’s why it’s important for workers to document unsafe working conditions and communicate these problems to their employer. At most companies, the protocol is to file a complaint with Human Resources, but this can sometimes result in the employer firing the employee or engaging in other acts of retaliation.
California laws, as well as federal laws, prohibit retaliation by employees when a worker reports a safety violation. If you believe that you have been unfairly terminated because you reported safety concerns to HR, the employment attorneys at our office would like to speak with you. We are happy to offer a free, private consultation, so don’t hesitate to contact us at your earliest opportunity.
California Laws that Protect Workers from Wrongful Termination
When you or anyone else at your job realizes that the employer is committing a safety violation, whether by accident or deliberate intent, you should report the issue immediately to prevent injuries and illness to themselves, as well as your co-workers. Employees have the right to file a report with the following agencies without fear or losing their job and other adverse employment decisions:
- Cal/OSHA – Division of Occupational Safety and Health
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Property owners (leasing company, for example)
Were you fired after notifying any of these entities about unsafe condition at your job? If so, we can help you with a labor law violation complaint against your employer. Give us a call to schedule a free case evaluation and learn about the steps you can take to recover your losses after a wrongful termination.
What Safety Issues can I Report to HR?
You are allowed to complain to your employer about a wide variety of safety issues, and your employer is forbidden by law from taking adverse action against you strictly for reporting dangerous work conditions. Here are some examples of safety complaints that you can file with your employer or a state / federal agency:
- Employees are allowed to come to work when it’s clear that they have a communicable disease (or symptoms of a disease), like COVID-19.
- Employees with a history of violence and aggressive behavior are allowed to return to work.
- The employer is not complying with industry safety measures, or ones required by law.
- Employees are forced to work in environment with known hazards, such as toxic chemicals and broken staircases.
- Employees are denied necessary safety gear.
- The employer exposes workers to biological or environmental hazards.
What Should I Do if I Got Hurt at Work?
Aside from being unjustly fired, you may have sustained an injury from a work-related accident. It’s likely that you are eligible for workers’ compensation, which offers benefits like medical expenses and lost wages during your recovery.
The problem is, many employers try to deny workers this valuable form of compensation once they are fired, or they fire the worker as a way to cut them off from workers’ comp. If you had a work accident and complained to HR about a hazard that caused you to be injured, please contact our law firm right away. These cases cover two different areas of employment laws, and it’s essential that you speak to a lawyer who can handle both types of claims.
Here at California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group, we have a dedicated team of legal experts who can help you manage a workers’ comp denial case at the same time as a lawsuit for wrongful termination. We can also represent you if you were fired after requesting reasonable accommodations after a work injury, like switching to another shift, limiting certain physical tasks, or being allowed extra time to get to work.
Considering the many variables that can impact the legal strategy for a wrongful termination claim, it’s in your best interest to contact a California employment lawyer. Our office is ready to take your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if you have questions about your rights and legal options.
Common Signs of Retaliation after Reporting Unsafe Condition in the Workplace
There are many overt and underhanded tactics that employers can use to retaliate against an employee when they file a complaint for unsafe conditions or accidents to one of more workers caused by a dangerous work environment. Signs of retaliation by an employer include:
- Wrongful termination
- Demotion from your current position
- Cutting your hours or pay rate
- Excluding you from work meetings, communications, and events
- Denial of training opportunities and other resources
- Increase or decrease in workload
- Unwarranted negative performance reviews
- Denial of promotion or raise
Remember that you are doing the right thing by reporting workplace safety violations. These conditions affect all your co-workers, not just yourself, and legal options are available to you if your employer fired you as retaliation for an unsafe work environment complaint.
How We can Help
Our team of Los Angeles employment law attorneys have been fighting for the rights of California workers for several decades. We know that the legal system for a labor complaint is incredibly complex, and as a result, many workers are at a disadvantage when their rights have been violated by the employer. We are here to even the playing field and provide you with skilled legal representation from day one.
Our mission is to make high quality legal services accessible to anyone who was illegally fired from their job. With that in mind, we take all cases on a contingency basis, meaning we only get paid by securing compensation on your behalf, either from a settlement or jury verdict. If we do not win your case, you owe us nothing, since we protect all clients with the Zero Fee Guarantee.
The wrongful termination lawyers of CLLEAG are standing by to assist you, so please contact us as soon as possible.
