Employment Law is the law concerning employers and their employees. Employment laws are different from state to state, but there are also federal laws that encompass the entire country. Many of these laws protect the employer, but the majority of them are put in place to protect the employee. If you are working in Indiana, or in the United States as a whole, it’s important to be aware of these three vital aspects of employment law.
At-Will
Not all states are at-will states, but for Employment laws and states who are at-will, it’s one of the most important things to understand. Employers will often tell employees that since their state is at-will, they can fire you at any time for any reason. But, it’s important that people know that at-will does not mean they can discriminate against you or fire you because you are injured or part of a protective class. The problem is that is usually comes up when they know they’re doing things they aren’t supposed to and they want to convince the person they are allowed to do it. If you feel you are being terminated for your protective class, or any of the listed reasons, it’s important to hire an attorney right away.
Document Everything
Put all of your complaints in writing. If it’s not in writing, it essentially didn’t happen. So, be sure to put all verbal complaints in writing. Even if an employee is taking notes in their notebook or actively writing things down, that can be used as evidence, but it’s better if they’ve made reports and communicated with the employer because it shows that they gave the employer a chance to fix it. Most people think this is too aggressive and if they do this, they are going to get fired. The problem is, they are probably going to get fired either way so it’s best to have it in writing. Sometimes this also saves their position because the employer knows they have to follow the right steps.
Don’t Sign Anything
Oftentimes, when employers are firing someone, they trick people into signing documents. They say they won’t get their vacation days if they don’t sign, and people often sign because they are overwhelmed. But, it’s often a release or a document that says they can’t do anything like sue or get remedies. Don’t let them force you to sign anything, and understand that there is never a reason where you have to sign. If they let you take the document, take it to a lawyer, if they get hostile and refuse to let you leave or get aggressive, start recording on your phone and make it uncomfortable for them and they will let you leave. Don’t sign termination notices if you don’t agree with them. Never agree to terms you don’t understand and don’t believe them when they tell you to sign something just for your vacation because it’s usually not.
If you’ve been wrongfully terminated in Indiana, contact the experienced wrongful termination attorneys at Stewart & Stewart. Give us a call at 1-800-33-33-LAW or visit our website for more information.