The outbreak of the novel Corona Virus from the labs of Wuhan, China has spread like a wildfire throughout the globe affecting thousands of lives. The consequences of the Novel virus have taken a toll on the physical as well as financial well-being. To contain the virus, both the state and the federal government has ordered a complete lockdown and required the closure of the non-essential businesses. Since then, there has been a tremendous upsurge in unemployment claims as people are wrongfully terminated or wages are denied.
Workers who are still employed have to work for more hours to assist the employers in getting the job done. You can hire unpaid wage lawyers if your employer is reluctant to pay your wages. Besides this, you can also claim for unemployment benefits but employers may contest these claims. How to win unemployment denial amidst the corona pandemic is a cause of concern and hence, it’s always good to have a professional employment attorney by your side. For example, Nakese Law Firm is one of the skillful employment lawyers having experience in unpaid wages, gender discrimination, racial discrimination, wrongful termination, and sexual harassment.
As an employee, you might have lots of questions regarding employment rights amidst this pandemic. In this article, you’ll find answers to your queries.
Can I take action against my employer if they dismiss me or put on unpaid leave?
If you believe that you’ve been terminated or subjected to adverse employment decisions based on any kind of discrimination, you can take legal action against your lawyer for the same. It’s unlawful for a lawyer to wrongfully terminate or put you on unpaid leave just because of your race, color, gender, ethnicity, disability, skin color, and pregnancy. If your employment has been affected by Covid-19, you might be eligible to claim worker’s compensation benefits and unemployment benefits.
So I can take action only if my employer fires me from work due to discrimination?
The answer is no. You can also take legal action against your employer if your wages are denied or if you are wrongfully terminated for being vocal about how your employer isn’t adjusting to the new employment laws. You can also file a lawsuit under the whistleblower laws of California if the employers retaliate against you for speaking up or for reporting any unlawful activities within the workplace. Whistleblow protections are highly important as of now because the employers will try to sideline the majority of the employment laws and they’ll make the employees work overtime to lower their costs and meet the demands.
Should I get extra wages for working overtime during Covid-19?
Even if the state is in an emergency, there’s hardly any change in employment rights. However, in case any new changes are introduced, the employer has to ensure that the employees are treated as per the new temporary regulations. Therefore, during emergencies, you deserve wages for working overtime. If employers do not pay the wage rate on time, you can have claims against your employer.
Can I sue my employer if I get infected with Covid-19 at the workplace?
The chance of having a successful claim in this matter is minimal. This is because Covid-19 is infectious and you can get it from anyone. Therefore, it’s hard to prove that you Covid-19 from your workplace. You can also get infected from outside your workplace. Covid-19 is an invisible factor that is hard to mark out and prove.
