Employment Retaliation

People who have a complaint against an employer, such as sexual harassment or age discrimination, frequently opt not to make the complaint because they fear retaliation from their employer. Retaliation can take many forms. Fortunately for those who have suffered from retaliation and who fear it, retaliation is illegal in the majority of situations.

Retaliation in many cases can be firing a person for his or her complaint against the company. It can also be passing over the most qualified individual for a promotion because that person has helped in an investigation of some wrongdoing on the company's part. Regardless of its form, if the action taken by the injured party was in accordance with a variety of federal statutes to prevent discrimination and harassment, the retaliation is illegal.

There are four types of retaliation: workplace, employer, employment, and whistleblower. The first three types are essentially the same type of retaliation. These types of retaliation are forms of employment discrimination. All three are prohibited under various laws. The catch is that the employee must exercise his or her rights under the laws reasonably.

Individuals who have suffered whistleblower retaliation are also protected and can file a lawsuit to address their employment injuries. Whistleblower protections apply only to those who have “blown the whistle” on their employers when the employee suspects that the employer is engaged in some sort of illegal, unsafe, or unhealthy activity.

Contact a Houston Employment Attorney

If you have been injured by the retaliatory actions of your employer, contact a Houston employment attorney from the Ross Law Group at 713-482-6910 to discuss your situation and to determine your legal options.