Employee Rights

Employers typically wield significant power over their employees. Rarely does the average worker stand on equal ground with the employer. That said, when employers exercise their power fairly, the employment relationship can be mutually beneficial for employer and employee. But all too frequently, this imbalance of power leads to unfair treatment of employees. Such unfair treatment might take the form of sexual harassment, offensive behavior, hostile work environment, discrimination, retaliation, or even failure to properly pay wages and benefits.

You have the right to a workplace free from such misbehavior. Several federal and state statutes protect you. On the federal side, those laws include the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Most if not all states have their own laws protecting employees.

For example, in Minnesota, discrimination and other forms of employer misconduct are strictly prohibited in the Minnesota Human Rights Act (Chapter 363A of the Minnesota Statutes). Specifically, employers may not discriminate against you if you are a member of a “protected class” – that is, an employer may not discriminate against you on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, disability, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, and age. An employee may pursue a claim for violation of this Act either by filing a charge with the state’s Department of Human Rights, or by filing a complaint in state court. ARIES LEGAL can advise you on the most advantageous route for your particular case.