If you believe that your employer is treating you unfairly, or if you face unacceptable behavior from someone in your workplace, you may have grounds to seek legal action to resolve the matter. Under the law, employees enjoy protections from unfair or discriminatory behavior, but the process of addressing these issues in the workplace is often surprisingly complex to resolve.
An employer may approach your concerns a number of ways, but in almost all cases, it will seek to protect its own interests above all else. This is not to say that your needs and concerns will necessarily fall to the wayside, but it is important to take some additional steps to keep your priorities secure while you work to resolve the complaint.
To this end, it is essential that you keep your own records of the process. Not only should you keep a copy of any documents you submit to the employer, you should carefully document the conversations you have about the matter. While it is not always legally advisable to record a conversation, you can take notes during the conversation or shortly after to make sure that you do not forget important pieces of information.
While it is generally good to keep as much documentation as you can on the matter, you must also consider that you may not have the legal authority to keep copies of certain documents. If your claim includes documentation that you should not have access to, for instance, it may compromise your claim or defeat it altogether. An experienced attorney can help you assess all sides of the claim and ensure that your rights remain secure as you work to resolve your workplace dispute.
Source: FindLaw, “Protecting the Rights of Workers,” accessed March 02, 2018
