Is Your Boss Giving You Everything You’re Entitled To?

It’s difficult to know your rights at work, especially if you’ve been there for a while.

Some of the terms of your employment may have slipped your mind, and you may be confused about whether or not rules and regulations have changed since you started.

Whatever your motive for wanting to know about your workplace rights, you should always be able to obtain information about them.

Some employers may make it tough for you to access them because they are afraid that action may be taken against them.

Hopefully, this isn’t the case with your boss, but make sure you’re aware of your rights.

Holiday pay

Finding out how many paid vacation days you’re entitled to each year from your workplace is important.

Although it is not required for your employer to provide you with paid holiday leave, approximately 77 percent of private businesses in the United States do so, with the amount of time off varying based on how long you have worked for the company.

To make sure you don’t miss out on much (if any) money, check with your supervisor to see whether that’s an option they provide or, if you already know they do, how many days they will pay you for.

Even if your employer does not provide paid time off, you are free to take a vacation whenever you like. Ask your boss how much notice they require before taking time off. It’s still possible for you to go on vacation, but you won’t get paid for it.

Injuries

It’s also crucial to be aware of your legal rights if you are injured at work. If you work in a profession where injuries are more likely to occur (for example, if you deal with heavy machinery), you should have a protocol in place.

First and foremost, notify your employer of the injury as soon as possible. Your worker’s compensation claim will be easier to handle after this.

You won’t have to worry about being fired or bullied by any of your coworkers when you do this. In the event that your employer requests that you use your personal health insurance to pay for treatment, you have the right to refuse.

Even if you are able to return to work, you may be entitled to compensation if your injury has left you severely injured.

Alternatively, if your employer is unjust or if your claim is lost due to their compensation claims, you have the right to take your injury claim to an attorney who specializes in workers compensation and who will reopen the case on your behalf and take it from there in order to win the case for you.

If the damage was caused by a lack of training or faulty equipment, you may be able to sue your employer, but unless you hire a lawyer, you’ll have to handle the case on your own.

These days, many employers offer health insurance as part of your contract, so you should look for this in your contract.

There are many different types of health insurance available, and if your contract doesn’t currently have health insurance, consider speaking to your employer about adding it in for you and other employees.

Pay

Another right you should be aware of is being paid correctly. Of course, depending on your field of work, you may make more per hour than others, but there are steps you can take to guarantee that you’re getting paid fairly.

Obviously, if you are being paid less than the federal minimum wage per hour, you have the right to pursue legal action against your employer.

To start, tell your boss because they might have made a mistake. If they continue to ignore your concerns, you could choose to take your complaint to your state labor department, which can look into the matter on your behalf.

If your employer is proven to have underpaid you, you are entitled to compensation.

You should also check to see whether you’re being paid properly if you work in a field that accepts tips (like a restaurant). In your contract, it should say how much of the tips you get should go to you.

If you find that you haven’t been paid, your employer has broken the contract.

Equality of Rights

Women’s right to work and be treated equally with men has been a long-standing issue in the workplace, as we all know. We also know that the repeal of the prohibition on women voting is taking place.

The first thing to do if you think you’re being discriminated against at work is to get in touch with your employer.

The majority of the time, discrimination takes place in the workplace when the employer is not looking. Inform your employer of the incident and the perpetrators. If you can prove this, it will also work to your advantage.

If your boss does not take action, or if they are the ones harassing you, there are options you can take. Keep track of what’s going on, document it, and then file a lawsuit against your firm to resolve these difficulties.

If a tribunal says that you don’t have any rights there, go to ACAS. They can give you all the help you need and help you figure out what to do next.

Similarly, if you’re pregnant and are unable to do every component of your job (for example, heavy lifting), you have the right to communicate with your employer so that your boss can adjust your workload until you are able to return to work after giving birth to your baby.

If necessary, take a doctor’s note to your employer to ensure you are not asked to do anything that could harm your unborn child. Again, if your request is rejected, seek legal counsel to ensure that you receive what you are entitled to.

The same goes for soon-to-be fathers too. While you’d still be expected to perform all of your duties, employers now have to be respectful of fathers wanting time off when their baby is born to spend time with them.

It’s usually around two weeks, but it’s definitely something you should check your contract for if you’re an expectant father.

Workplace Breaks

Make sure you receive enough breaks for the hours you work. Did you know that in the majority of states, employees are entitled to ten minutes of paid rest per four hours worked? Do you get that much time off every four hours?

Taking legal action against your employer is an option if you believe you have been treated unfairly and are not given enough time off to take a break. However, you should get guidance from a local tribunal first to avoid spending money you don’t have to.

Please understand that your ten minutes every four hours may not arrive exactly on time. Although it might be handy, depending on the type of work you do, this may not always be possible.

As a doctor, you may have to work longer or shorter hours before you get a short break. You don’t have a case against your employer if you know you’ll get a break.

Employment Termination

If you wish to terminate your employment, ensure that you obtain from your employer the amount of notice necessary by law prior to quitting the job. If you do not comply with this notification, your earnings may be deducted, and the company could take further action.

The same concept applies to employers who wish to fire someone. Whatever the cause, you must provide your employers with a set length of notice before requesting that they depart the premises.

If you are dismissed, you may be entitled to continue receiving any job-related healthcare benefits for a limited period, and it may also be worthwhile to investigate unemployment compensation.

Before making a decision, your details will be reviewed, as will the events leading up to your dismissal.

Contract

Finally, we’ve mentioned your contract a few times during this post, and that’s because it’s essentially your hail mary when it comes to knowing your rights! Keeping a copy of your employment contract in a secure location is the best approach to ensure that you are treated properly at work and that you are aware of your legal rights.

You’ll be able to go back and review it if the situation calls for it. If your employer thinks you’ve lost your contract, they might try and amend it with different and unfair terms of employment in the hopes you don’t notice, so it’s a good idea to make sure you have a copy.

If you are unsure where your contract is, request a copy from your employer. In the event that you find something you didn’t sign for, or if something is missing from the contract, you’ll need to contact your employer to get it fixed.

To summarize, you have the right to know what happens in specific instances. The company can be sued if your boss is being unfair.