Reporting a safety violation at work is essential to your physical and mental well-being, and no one should have to feel that their life is at risk when reasonable measures can make a job site safe and secure. That’s why laws exist at both the state and federal levels to protect employees from retaliation when they report safety violations by their company.
The laws in California prohibit retaliation, i.e., punishing a worker, when they complain about or file a report about unsafe working conditions. Were you were fired or subjected to other adverse employment actions after speaking out about workplace hazards and other dangerous conditions? Please take a moment to contact us and talk to a lawyer that’s experienced in retaliation claims against California employers.
California Laws on Reporting Unsafe Working Conditions
When you recognize conditions in the workplace that are clearly unsafe, it’s important to report the situation immediately. Otherwise, one or more people may be injured in a work-related accident that would not have happened were it not for the hazardous condition.
Under the laws in California, your employer cannot take punitive measures against you for reporting a safety violation to:
- Human Resources
- Cal/OSHA
- Federal government’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- The owner of the property
If your employment rights were violated, we are here to help you explore the available legal options. We have decades of experience in labor law violation claims, and we will fight tirelessly to hold your employer accountable. Contact our office for more information on lawsuits for termination after reporting unsafe practices at your workplace.
What Safety Issues can I Bring to my Employer’s Attention?
As an employee, you have the right to complain about a wide variety of safety issues that exist at your job site. If you are fired after you talk to your employer or file an official complaint, you may have grounds to file a claim under California Labor Code Section 6310 or 1102.5.
Examples of workplace safety complaints that you can report include:
- Employees are allowed to work while they are sick from or exhibit symptoms of a communicable disease.
- Employer fails to implement safety measures as required by law or the specific industry.
- Workers with a history of violence and aggression are allowed to return to work.
- Employees are forced to work in environments with conditions like slip and fall and biological hazards
- Employer fails to provide safety gear that allows workers to perform their jobs safely.
- Employees are not protected from environmental hazards in and around the worksite.
What Should I Do if I am Injured at Work?
If you suffered injuries due to a safety violation by your employer, seek medical attention and contact a California employment lawyer as soon as possible. First and foremost, you are most likely entitled to on-going payments from a workers’ compensation. On top of that, you may be eligible to seek compensation from a third party, meaning a lawsuit for negligence or misconduct.
These are two distinct areas of law, and most lawyers specialize in one or the other. Thus, it’s important that you work with an attorney that can handle both types of claims (workers’ compensation and personal injury). The legal team of California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group handles both civil and government claims involving work-related injuries and illnesses.
Your Right to Reasonable Accommodations
Reasonable accommodations are another form of protection you may be entitled to. For example, you may need to work reduced hours, work from home, or avoid non-essential tasks that can aggravate your injury. Some places provide special equipment and rearrange work spaces for the recovering employee, but that may not be possible depending on the work environment and your employer’s resources. As long as what you are seeking is reasonable, your employer must hear you out and try to accommodate your health condition.
If your employer refuses to provide provided reasonable accommodations for injuries, you may have the option of filing a discrimination complaint. If you are fired after making a request for disability accommodations, you can also file a wrongful termination lawsuit for monetary damages.
A Los Angeles employment lawyer can explain the process of filing a complaint or lawsuit, or both, depending on the type of violation and the harm you suffered.
Signs of Retaliation after Reporting an Unsafe Work Environment
There’s no denying that workers face the possibility of retaliation for choosing to report unsafe work conditions or after an injury caused by hazards in the workplace. Indications of retaliation by your employer can take place in many ways, including but not limited to:
- Being fired from your job
- Exclusion from important work meetings and communications
- Denial of benefits, resources, and training opportunities
- Increase or decrease in hours / workload
- Schedule change to an undesirable shift
- Negative performance reviews that are unwarranted
- Denial of a promotion, raise, or bonus
- Unjustified write ups and other disciplinary actions
How Our Legal Team can Help You
The labor law attorneys at our law firm have many years of experience in the fight against retaliation and other illegal acts by California employers. You did the right thing by reporting conditions at your job that were unsafe, and it is illegal for your employer to fire you, lower your pay, demote you, or take other actions as a form of punishment.
Our mission is to help you obtain justice, regardless of your ability to pay for legal expenses. To ensure that you are represented by an experienced attorney, we will take your case on a contingency basis. This way, you do not have to pay a retainer or hourly rate, and our payment comes directly out of your settlement check. There is also a Zero Fee Guarantee in place, ensuring that you owe us $0 if we do not win your case.
If you are ready to explore your rights and legal options, contact our law firm and schedule a free case review.
