4 Things Your Boss Can’t Do (Part 2)

No one is above the law, and that does not exclude your boss. The National Labor Relations Act and a variety of statutes protect employees from unfair labor practices. There are also state and local regulations that employers must follow. Here are 4 more things your employer can’t do:

# 1 Ignore a hostile workplace

Employers must ensure that the work environment they provide is safe and that worker complaints are handled accordingly. If certain behaviors are severe and pervasive enough that workers find the environment intimidating or hostile, employers must take action and address the behavior; otherwise, they can be held responsible for the actions and their consequences.

# 2 Ask forbidden questions during job interviews

Employers cannot ask about your age, marital status, religion, or plans to get pregnant during the selection process, among other things. This is a part of the law that prohibits discrimination resulting from the answers to these questions.

# 3 Promise of an eventual job to interns

Companies may want to attract interns with the promise of a job at the end of the internship. However, this could classify as non-compliance with federal and state minimum wage laws. Why? Because rather than being a learning experience for a student, the internship could be viewed as an unpaid and illegal training period.

# 4 Fire someone after suddenly filing multiple complaints

This happens when an employer suddenly files a series of complaints against an employee immediately before firing him. This causes the employer to lack credibility, even if the complaints are accurate and true. If a worker claims he was illegally fired, a recent influx of complaints could negatively affect the employer.

If you believe that your employer is violating labor laws, seek help from your human resources department or consider filing a complaint. If there is no response, please contact “For The Workers” for support and compensation.