Work is an unavoidable part of most people’s lives. The average person does not own a company, and their work consists of working for somebody else’s. Such work can be very draining, especially if one’s employers are difficult. Sometimes employers can be much more than merely difficult. They can be downright negligent.
If you are unfortunate enough to work for such an employer and their negligence has led to you being injured or you have received unfair treatment, then you need to take immediate action. The sooner you act, the faster you’ll get compensation. Here’s everything you need to know about the compensation-claiming process.
Finding A Qualified Lawyer
Before you can get a lawyer’s help, you’ll need to find one. There are literally millions of active lawyers discoverable on the internet. You need to find a workers’ compensation lawyer in your town or city. To do that all that you need to do is conduct a simple search. Make sure that when you are looking for qualified and experienced lawyers, you consider their reviews.
A lawyer’s reviews can tell you a lot about them and will make it easier for you to decide whether you want to work with them or not. The reason reviews are so useful is because they give you an insight into what a lawyer’s like to work with. Avoid reading on-site reviews though as they are typically biased and usually exaggerated.
Understanding Your Rights
Until you know what your rights are you cannot take legal action against your employer. This is because you won’t know when they have crossed a line! If you suspect an employer has breached one of your statutory rights or has even done something criminal, then a lawyer’s help will come in very handy. A lawyer will be able to walk you through all of the laws an employer has broken and can even explain your rights to you.
You may want to employ one purely to tell you about what your rights are so that they are never breached. You can also read online guides if you want to learn more about what your rights are. Make sure that if you discover that they have been breached that you take immediate action. Allowing negligent and careless employers to continue mistreating people should be a crime in and of itself.
More Favorable Treatment
If you notice that another coworker gets more favorable treatment at work despite holding the same position as you in the company, then it could be an indication that your employer is being unfair. There are a multitude of reasons why another employee might be receiving favorable treatment. One is that they are related to the boss, while another is that they are in a relationship with them.
It is essential that you take immediate action and report such behavior to your most senior manager. If the senior manager is the person engaged in such relationships with giving favorable treatment, then report it to whoever is above them. Giving favorable treatment to another employee is not necessarily a crime, and you cannot take anyone to court for this. However, it is unethical and should therefore be reported.
Judgment Because of Protected Characteristics
One very serious workplace infraction that can result in your employer’s arrest is judgment and discrimination because of a person’s protected characteristics. In other words, if your employer treats another employee more harshly because of their protected characteristics, i.e., race, sex, or gender, then you need to report them to the police and a workplace lawyer. Judging people harshly because of protected characteristics can be deemed a hate crime in some countries.
We live in a very liberal, free society nowadays, so such behavior is unacceptable. If you are planning on reporting an employer for such behavior, then it’s a good idea to try and collect evidence. If you are reporting the behavior on behalf of another employee, then ask them first. Making reports of this kind can lead to termination of employment. Because of the risk to the person’s job, you should ask them if they are okay with you reporting your employer.
1. Sexual Advances in the Workplace
Sexual advances in the workplace are surprisingly common and very illegal. If an employer or another employee has made such an advance, then it’s essential that you enlist a lawyer’s help. Under no circumstances should you allow unwanted sexual advances to go ahead. In truth, even if you want a sexual relationship with an employer or colleague, you should report them if they make a move on you. Work is for working and nothing more. Such behavior should be confined to outside working hours.
2. Feeling Uncomfortable at Work
If an employer’s behavior is making you feel uncomfortable, then you need to get in touch with a lawyer. It could be that the employer is breaking the law. Generally, when a person feels uncomfortable, it is for a reason. You might not be able to pinpoint exactly what your employer is doing to make you feel uncomfortable, but if they are making you uncomfortable, they are definitely doing something.
You should always tell your employer that they are making you uncomfortable as well. You should not leave their behavior unchecked. Again, remember that by reporting an employer or complaining about them, there is a chance that they could take some kind of action against you.
3. Physical Touching by Employer
Finally, if your employer touches you inappropriately or tries to, make sure that you report them. Touching does not necessarily have to be sexual. In the past, there have been cases where employers have gotten into trouble for physically assaulting staff or trying to wrestle with them. Whenever a person touches you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, you need to take action and report them. Reporting them will stop them from behaving like this with other people again in the future and may win you compensation.
In summary
If you feel uncomfortable at work because of an employer’s negligence or attitude, you need to take action. You can do that by getting in touch with a lawyer. A lawyer will be able to give you the care and attention you need and help you to get compensation.