Retaliation
After you spoke up, the job changed
You reported something, asked for something or took leave you were owed. Then the job changed. That sequence is what we look at.
Retaliation is the most common claim workers bring, and often the strongest. The law protects you when you complain about discrimination, harassment, unpaid wages or unsafe conditions; when you take protected medical or family leave; when you ask for an accommodation; and when you report something to a government agency or refuse to break the law.
What it looks like
- A firing, demotion or pay cut soon after a complaint
- Worse shifts, a new schedule or a transfer no one asked for
- A sudden run of write-ups after years of good reviews
- Being shut out of meetings, training or the work you used to do
Why timing matters
Employers rarely write down that they're punishing someone. So we lay out dates: when you spoke up, who knew, and what happened next. The shorter the gap, the harder it is to explain away.
Questions about retaliation
My complaint turned out to be wrong. Am I still protected?
Usually, yes, if you made it honestly. The law protects the act of reporting, not only reports that prove true.
I complained out loud, not in writing. Does it count?
It can. Write down now what you said, to whom and when, and send it to yourself by email so it's dated.
They haven't fired me, but things are worse. Should I wait?
No. Talk to us now. Many retaliation claims are about what happens short of a firing.
Write down what happened, then send it to us
Dates, names and what was said. A lawyer reads it and writes back to you.