As an employee, you have the right to pursue a workers’ compensation claim if you are hurt at work in most industries. Whether you’ve tripped, fallen and suffered an injury or you were a victim of an attack at work, you may be able to pursue a workers’ compensation claim that will help you collect the compensation needed to get medical care and to recover without worrying about your income.
The law is on your side with workers’ compensation. It is a right of workers to make this claim, and workers should not have to worry about their employers retaliating against them for that decision. In fact, employer retaliation is illegal and could lead to serious consequences.
What are signs of retaliation to watch out for?
If your boss is retaliating against you, there may be a few signs. Some types of retaliatory actions include:
- Treating you badly compared to others, such as by starting to discipline you repeatedly for unjustified reasons or demoting you over the injury or claim
- Terminating you from your role after you submit a claim for workers’ compensation
- Harassing you about the claim and why you’ve made it. They may pressure you not to continue the claim or threaten you before you file it. In some cases, employers may reduce your opportunities at work because of making a claim
These actions are unacceptable. It’s understandable that an employer may be upset or stressed about an accident at work, but they should never take out their problems on their employees. Employers are responsible for providing a safe working environment to those they hire. If they could not do that, then they should look into ways to make the workplace safer, not ways to make their employees’ lives harder.
What should you do if you’re a victim of retaliation?
If you believe that your employer is retaliating against you, then you need to document everything they say to you. Write down the dates and times of comments made, emails sent or texts received. You may be able to make a claim against your employer for their wrongful actions.