In March of 2020, the modern working world changed forever. The Coronavirus transformed the landscape of working environments in every industry, forcing people to take on remote roles and work from home. Essential workers often remained in high-risk positions and continue to do so today. Employers must comply with current COVID safety regulations and labor laws at all times.
Employers that fail to comply with U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) laws, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regulations, and state-mandated rules may be subject to an investigation should a staff member choose to file a report with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The COVID retaliation attorneys at MSB Employment Justice provide assistance to people experiencing employment discrimination or retaliation during the COVID pandemic or after reporting instances of OSHA COVID violations. Contact us now to schedule a consultation if you feel retaliated against by your employer after filing a COVID complaint.
Dealing With Retaliation During COVID
Several agencies in the United States set up strict regulations as COVID ravaged our country’s population. The DOL and EOCC provide an outline of reasonable accommodations employers must adhere to when staff or their family members might feel sick, as well as allotted paid and unpaid sick leave.
Additionally, essential employees that remain in high-contact positions have a reasonable right to a safe working environment. When companies fail to comply with proper workplace safety protocols, employees have the right to report violations or unsafe work practices to OSHA, including those related to the Coronavirus.
What Is Employment Retaliation?
Essentially, retaliation is an adverse action taken against someone in reaction to something they have already done, such as submitting an OSHA complaint about COVID violations in the workplace.
Wrongful termination is one of the most common types of retaliation, but there are other retaliatory actions employers can take, including:
- Dismissal from projects or positions
- Cut hours and lost wages
- Denied promotions
- Limited mobility within the organization
- Targeted harassment, discrimination, or assault
Retaliation can happen at any time in the workplace, but instances of illegal and unethical business practices are rising as COVID-19 impacts various industries. If you’re noticing subtle signs of workplace issues, it’s time to schedule a consultation with the trusted COVID report retaliation lawyers at MSB.
Employee Rights and Protections During the Pandemic
With so much uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus and how the pandemic would affect the workplace, agencies like the DOL and EOCC instituted legislation outlining the rights of employees if they or their family members contracted the virus.
If a business violates these protections, employees can report the offense to OSHA. The employment attorneys at MSB Employment Justice will help you explore your rights after experiencing COVID report retaliation. Our Twin Cities employment attorneys are available to walk you through everything these acts cover in your place of employment.
Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights
The U.S. Department of Labor introduced the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to support individuals and families dealing with health impacts due to the virus.
- Two weeks of paid sick leave at the regular hourly rate for personal self-quarantine.
- Two weeks of paid leave at two-thirds of the regular rate for individuals who must care for someone subject to quarantine whose school or child-care provider is closed.
- Two weeks of additional expanded paid leave at two-thirds of the regular rate for those who must care for a child affected by Coronavirus without alternative childcare provisions.
Employers must adhere to the allotted paid sick time and wages for employees affected by COVID. They may not retaliate against employees taking the required sick time to complete self-quarantine or care for a sick relative.
Employees can report violations of the Families First Act. If any retaliation occurs after reporting the violation, an employment retaliation attorney at MSB Employment Justice can help take action against a company.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission COVID Protections
During the Coronavirus outbreak, the EOCC has implemented strict measures to ensure all existing legal protections for employees are still upheld in the workplace. This includes:
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Rehabilitation Act
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act
- Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act
Your employer can’t retaliate against you for contracting the virus or for your age or pre-existing conditions that put you at greater risk of becoming infected. Our COVID report retaliation lawyers can help you understand if any of these protections are infringed upon in your workplace.
MN Worker Protections Related to COVID-19
Minnesota worker protections related to COVID allow employees to take necessary health precautions and paid sick leave to care for themselves and family members. The state of Minnesota makes it illegal for employers to retaliate against any staff for the following reasons:
- Paid and unpaid leave or sick time taken
- Requests for remote work or other reasonable accommodations
- Seeking unemployment benefits, disability, or workers’ compensation
- Reporting OSHA violations related to COVID safety
Contact MSB Employment Justice if you feel that your employer is retaliating against you after reporting safety violations to OSHA during a COVID outbreak. Our outstanding team of employment lawyers in Minnesota can make securing the damages you deserve after COVID report retaliation a much smoother, less daunting process.
Compassionate Legal Support for COVID Report Retaliation
MSB Employment Justice employs a team of knowledgeable COVID report attorneys, offering assistance to Twin Cities residents experiencing workplace retaliation. One of our primary goals is to provide holistic legal services with compassion in every case. Contact MSB Employment Justice today to speak with a legal advocate in Minnesota. Our legal advocates can help determine the best course of action for taking care of your current workplace retaliation issues quickly and successfully.
Additional Practice Areas at MSB
MSB Employment Justice is proud to provide a wide range of high-quality legal services in the Twin Cities. Stay protected in the workplace with help from a reliable Twin Cities attorney at MSB. We offer legal services in Minnesota that cover an array of practice areas, including::
- Sexual harassment and assault
- Workplace discrimination
- Gender/sexual orientation discrimination
- Whistleblower cases
- Wrongful termination
- Severance agreements
- Trauma-informed advocacy training
- Employer discrimination investigations
- Alternative dispute resolution
Individuals and organizations across various industries come to MSB Employment Justice for assistance after an assault, harassment, retaliation, discrimination, or other employment issues. Our team of Twin Cities lawyers is experienced in trauma-informed advocacy training and employer discrimination investigations. Whatever assistance your unique situation might require, MSB Employment Justice is on your side with holistic solutions and an “un-firm” approach to every case. Contact us today to learn more about each practice area covered at our Twin Cities law firm.
Know Your Rights After COVID Report Retaliation
Taking action against an employer after experiencing retaliation in the workplace is something many employees are highly hesitant or even unwilling to take on, especially during COVID. With so much risk surrounding your income, hours, insurance, and employment benefits, it’s never easy to put your job on the line and stand up to retaliation.
MSB Employment Justice provides holistic legal services to people experiencing COVID report retaliation in the workplace. Our advocates explore every avenue and course of action, ensuring that you are awarded the wages or damages you deserve.
Minnesota’s state government and several federal agencies actively protect workers from employment discrimination after COVID reporting. If you’re experiencing workplace retaliation after taking the mandatory sick time or reporting unsafe working conditions during COVID, you’re covered by many new laws.
MSB Employment Justice can help establish whether or not you’re wrongfully terminated, or your employer is retaliating against you because of a COVID report. Contact us by phone at 612-677-2680 or send us a message online now for more information on your rights as an employee after facing COVID report retaliation in the workplace.