Many people, if they have worked long enough, will face legal issues at work. Whether you are an employer or employee, it's important to know the legal concerns that you might encounter and how to protect yourself against them.

If you are an employer, you need to understand the legal rights of your employees and how to defend yourself or your company when facing employee complaints. If you are an employee, it is important to know what legal rights you have.

Protection of Federal and State Laws

Federal laws that protect employees include Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. State laws also exist that protect employees from discrimination on issues such as:

• Age
• Disability
• Sex
• Race
• Color
• Religion
• National origin

Employees also are protected against and may file a lawsuit for violation of a federal law that is called the Family and Medical Leave Act. This act enables employees to have as much as 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain family and medical reasons without the need to be concerned about losing their position.

Employee Rights

Everyone should know that they have the right to:

• Free choice of where they work and what they will do
• Fair and favorable work conditions and certain protections against unemployment, such as being wrongfully terminated
• Equal pay for equal work
• Fair compensation
• Create and become members of trade unions
• Time off (this includes being able to work a reasonable number of hours and being entitled to take paid holidays)

Employees and employers also should know that workers are 1.) legally protected against employer retaliation, 2.) have the right to privacy regarding certain matters, 3.) have the right to time off to take care of a sick child or member of the family, and 4.) have the right to work in a safe job free from harassment.

Other Employee Rights

Employees need to know there are laws that entitle you to:

• Take leave to give birth to or care for a newborn
• A minimum of overtime pay at the rate of at least time and a half if you work more than a 40-hour week
• Be free from sexual harassment, which if it occurs makes not only the harasser but the employer who fails to correct the situation liable
• Receive workers' compensation benefits whether the employee or the employer is the cause of a work-related sickness or injury
• To receive equal pay for equal work
• To receive reasonable accommodation to your disability if you are disabled, whether you are an employee or a qualified job applicant
• Not be an English-only worker unless the employer can show that the requirement for English is necessary and reasonable
• To work no matter what your age, unless an age limit is reasonably necessary to accomplish normal business tasks.

Whether you are a business owner or an employee encountering these types of employment issues and if a legal resolution is necessary, you need to secure the services of a business or labor attorney to represent you. You should contact Matthew L. Sharp, a business disputes lawyer in Reno, Nevada. Mr. Sharp has the experience and knowledge you need to make sure you are compensated for wrongdoings in the workplace. To schedule a consultation, call (888) 640-0835 or send us an email.