Answers About Employment Law
At Armstrong & Associates in Houston, Texas, we defend employee rights in legal matters involving many issues, including:
- Sexual harassment
- Wage and hour law violations
- Whistleblower lawsuits
- Wrongful termination
- Retaliation
- Discrimination
You can read more about how we help workers who have been subjected to unlawful discrimination here. On this employment law FAQ page, we will answer some frequently asked questions about employment law.
Should You Report Violations To Your Employer?
Yes. Reporting harassment or other violations to your employer is the required first step in most types of employment law actions. What’s more, your report provides documentation that you may need later on, if the case goes further. If your employer has a human resources department, begin there. Again, it’s not just what you say in your report, it’s how you say it. Get legal assistance early and make that initial report one that can protect your job and future relationship with your employer.
What If Your Employer Retaliates Against You?
Fear of retaliation prevents many workers from reporting misdeeds by their employers. It’s important to know that an employer cannot legally retaliate against you because you exercised your right to report a violation of the law.
Should You Report The Retaliation?
Yes. This strikes many people as counterintuitive because they have already reported a violation and been punished for it in some way. However, the retaliation itself is a violation of employment law. By reporting the retaliation, you put your employer on notice and establish documentation of wrongdoing.
Should You Quit?
Every case is different, but we typically tell clients not to quit their jobs. Resigning from your job can make it much harder to prove your case.
What Is A Whistleblower Claim?
When you report unlawful conduct by your employer, you are “blowing the whistle.” Reports to HR and/or executive management also protect employees from retaliation, so make certain you give your employer an opportunity to correct the situation for you. Legal counsel can be very important during these sensitive communications. Typically, this means reporting to someone outside of your employer, like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or a government agency that can address or remedy the problem. This reporting is protected by law, and if your employer retaliates against you for it, your employer is breaking the law again.
Should You Sign A Noncompete Agreement?
It’s a good idea to ask before you accept a job offer if the employer is going to ask you to sign a noncompete agreement. Ask a lawyer to review it and see if the employer will make any modifications.
Get Started
Speaking to an attorney is a good idea at any point in the process of resolving an issue involving employment law. Often, the earlier you speak to a lawyer, the better. Get started learning about your legal options by calling Armstrong & Associates at Armstrong & Associates. You can also send us an email.