Don’t let your employer risk your health for their profits. Know your rights and keep you and your family safe.
With Pennsylvania beginning to open back up amid concerns of a surge and a second wave of the Coronavirus, essential workers are in a precarious position. Do you feel safe reporting to work? Are you of higher risk for COVID-19 complications, or do you live with someone who is of higher risk? What can you do?
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- Work from home
- Use your sick leave. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and/or the Philadelphia Sick Leave Ordinance can both potentially cover those who qualify. FFCRA requires you must still be employed, and the organization must have fewer than 500 employees. The Philadelphia Sick Leave Ordinance provides sick leave laws to all employees who work within city limits at least 40 hours a year. This includes employees who work in Philadelphia AND outside of city limits, if they work within Philadelphia at least 40 hours during the year.
- Request leave under the newly expanded Family and Medical Leave Act
- Request accommodation under the the Americans with Disability Act (ADA)
If none of those options work for you, it is time to talk to your coworkers and then your employer. You must discuss labor conditions with your coworkers first so that you are protected under the National Labor Relations Act. The NLRA allows workers to request better working conditions and cannot be retaliated against. It also includes a provision that protects you from termination if you are looking out for the best interests of your coworkers (e.g. if you think you have COVID-19).
If you believe you have been terminated as retaliation for requesting better working conditions, and/or staying home with a potential case of COVID-19, it might be time to reach out to Freundlich & Littman. Following a retaliatory act such as termination or decreased hours, you might be feeling a number of emotions including defeat. That is the point of retaliation. Your boss or employer wants to hurt you for daring to speak out against them. They also want to deter anyone else from speaking out or participating in a legal proceeding. Likewise, retaliating is a hope that you will drop your efforts. This is bullying behavior, and it is illegal. Do not let your employers coerce you into keeping quiet. Even if you feel tired from fighting, do not worry. Allow us to make all the noise for you. We are ready to fight for your full compensation as allowed by law. (from specialty area page).
Contact us at (215)-883-4956 or visit our website https://philadelphiaattorneylawyer.com/practice-areas/retaliatory-discharge/ to learn more.
