Under California law, employers are not allowed to retaliate against employees and job applicants. But how do you know if something your employer did qualifies as retaliation?
If an employer punishes you for engaging in activities that are protected under the law, then your employer has engaged in workplace retaliation. An example: one of your supervisors sexually harasses you. You report it to your boss, and your boss reprimands your supervisor. After that, you notice that your supervisor is giving you more work, treating you more negatively and passes you over for potential promotions, despite you having done nothing wrong. This could constitute retaliation under California employment law.
Workplace retaliation is unlawful if you are punished for protected activities, such as reporting illegal conduct, refusing to become involved with illegal conduct, filing wage claims, filing discrimination or harassment lawsuits and more.
Not all retaliatory actions are obvious. Here are some red flags that might help you identify if your employer is retaliating against you:
- Unfair disciplinary actions
- Increased workload
- Denial or promotions, ongoing training or raises
- Exclusion from discussions on projects you are assigned to
- Negative work reviews
- Micromanagement after you file a complaint
- Wrongful termination
Our law firm has extensive experience in helping victims of workplace retaliation receive the justice they deserve. Proving a workplace retaliation claim can be difficult on your own, but we are ready to help. You can reach out to us at (310) 997-4431 or you can fill out our online contact form here.