It has recently come to our attention that there are a few things you might be doing that you legally aren’t allowed to do as an employer. Though these things may be common in the workplace, they are actually in violation of United States labor laws. In this U.S. News & World Report article, Alison Green writes that employees often assume their employers understand labor laws and always follow them, but in reality, many employers regularly violate employment law, whether they know it or not. Here are the five most common violations:
1. Telling employees that they can’t discuss their salary with co-workers.
2. Treating employees as exempt from overtime pay.
3. Asking or allowing employees to work off the clock.
4. Hiring independent contractors but treating them like employees.
5. Disciplining employees for complaining about work on social media.
If you have done any of these things in your office, it might be time to change some things around because these five violations are illegal and could potentially cause a lawsuit. Allen suggests employees who have experienced any of the above should talk to their manager first. “If you start from the assumption that she doesn’t realize that there’s a legal issue and that you’re being helpful by bringing it to her attention – as opposed to taking an adversarial stance right off the bat – you’re more likely to get a better outcome, one where the problem gets fixed and you maintain good relations with your employer,” she writes. If it doesn’t change, she tells employees to see a lawyer.
To read the explanations of the violations above and hear some of the suggestions Green shares with her readers, check out the link below.
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