With the exception of anti-discrimination laws, which cover just about everything from the color of a person’s skin to how old they are, employers are allowed to use their discretion in regards to who they hire and fire. But, there are certain circumstances where the rights of an employee who has been let go are protected, and it is the job of wrongful termination lawyers to safeguard those rights.
There are plenty of laws on the books that protect employees against retaliation from bosses for filing complaints in response to unethical business practices. Many of these laws are geared specifically toward those who work for the federal government. It seems logical that there would be an increased need for related labor litigators in the Washington D.C area simply because of the number of government organizations that are established there.
Government employees are specifically protected by some laws that been passed in recent decades, each with increasing focus on what those protections mean for whistleblowers who come forward in cases of government neglect, wastefulness, fraud, and discrimination.
If a government employee has filed or is actively involved in filing a report of wrongdoing by their superiors in a government job, it is illegal for their supervisors to terminate, demote, suspend, harass, or otherwise attempt to influence that worker due to their whistleblower activities. The law protects these actions, and anyone who suffers punitive actions at the hands of another government employee has legal recourse to compensations.
There are some rights that protect government workers that they may not be aware of and that it why it is so important for a person who believes that they have a case to contact a qualified representative as soon as possible. These rights include, but are not limited to:
- Any government employee is entitled by law to file reports of unethical behavior by their superiors without fear o retribution.
- Employees are permitted by law to refuse to engage in activity deemed to be fraudulent.
- Employees are not to be harassed or intimidated for involvement in government investigations into bad practices.
- Employees are entitled to unpaid leave for family reasons.
- Employees are permitted to expect payment in a prompt and scheduled manner.
It is important for any government worker to understand the seriousness of filing false claims against an employer. It is recommended by discrimination attorneys that the individual keep a notebook where they can keep track of instances of abuse, marking down the date, time, names of those involved and what the violation entails. It is the responsibility of the person filing the claim to prove, beyond doubt that a violation has occurred.
What To Do If You Have Been Unfairly Fired
If you have been victimized illegally termination from a government job or feel that your future as a government employee is in jeopardy because of involvement in protected activity, the important thing to do is to know your rights. You reputation and even your financial stability could be at stake, and you have rights that need to be protected.
Illegal firings use to be commonplace; no one was supposed to question the authority of their superiors. But, due to increased abuses by upper management, and people in positions of power the landscape of employee rights has shifted. These protections are designed not only to protect the worker, but also the public at large from widespread criminal activity that sometimes takes place in the highest offices of the land.
No matter what branch of the government a person works in these laws have been passed for their protection, as well as the betterment of the rest of the country. No government official is above these laws. If you have been subjected to discrimination, intimidation, or retaliation from a government employee, take action to end the abuse as soon as possible by contacting a qualified law firm with experience in trying government abuses.
