You have been working for a company for some time, but recently, you haven’t been happy. You filed a claim because you believed that your employer wasn’t being fair to you.
You asked for assistance with a religious request, so that you could celebrate a holiday. The employer didn’t allow it and now seems to be making you work harder than usual.
What is retaliation?
Retaliation is when an employer or potential employer punishes applicants or employees for asserting their rights. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) protects employees from employment discrimination including harassment and retaliation for reporting discrimination. It is against the law for employers to retaliate if an employee or applicant refuses to follow discriminatory orders, asks for reasonable accommodations for a disability or religious practice, communicates about concerns of employment discrimination or files or becomes a witness in an investigation, lawsuit, complaint or charge filed by the EEOC.
Employers may still terminate or penalize workers for other reasons, and being part of an EEOC claim is not a shield. For instance, if you are part of an EEOC claim, but you make a mistake that costs the employer $1,000 one day on the job, your employer may penalize you in a fair manner for that error. However, the employer can’t increase scrutiny, put you in a less desirable position, spread false rumors about you or physically or verbally abuse you just because you’re part of an EEOC claim.
If you face retaliation, you aren’t alone. Our site has more on what you can do to protect yourself.
