What rights do employees have?

On Behalf of | Jan 10, 2018 | Employee Rights |

Many previous posts here have delved into some fairly specific employment rights that employees in Minnesota and throughout the country enjoy, including the right to be free from discrimination and harassment in the workplace. But, it can be helpful to look at employee rights in basic terms, and include some of the other rights that employees enjoy. So, what are some of the basic employee rights?

The right to enjoy a workplace that is free from harassment and discrimination may seem like common sense, but, as we have all seen in the national news recently, issues such as sexual harassment and gender discrimination still plague many workplaces. When it comes down to basics, the real issue is that employees deserve to be able to go to work each day without having to face insults, unwanted sexual advances and mistreatment from co-workers and supervisors.

Next, employees have the right to work in a safe environment. This means that the workplace should be free from potential hazards or environmental dangers. Further, employees should be free from the concern that they will face retaliation if they do the right thing and report illegal conduct at their workplace to the appropriate authorities.

Lastly, as an issue that, frustratingly, still continues to be a problem in America, employees have the right to earn fair wages for the work they perform. Most often, the problem is the gender disparity in pay between male and female workers. If any of these basic employee rights have been threatened, it may be time for legal action.