Standing up for your rights at work can feel empowering, but what happens when your employer responds negatively? Workplace retaliation occurs when an employer punishes an employee for exercising their legal rights. Understanding the warning signs can help you...
As a newly onboarded employee, you may still be becoming familiar with how pay works in your new role. This can create uncertainty regarding whether your paycheck reflects all compensable time worked. In Virginia, wage and hour standards primarily derive from the...
Employees have specific rights in the workplace, none of which should be violated by employers. Even though those rights are normally respected, there are times when employees may have to speak up about illegal activities within the company. Some of those may be wary...
This time of year, Christmas is the holiday that dominates the media and public conversation – not to mention the stores. However, multiple religions celebrate holidays in November and December. This seems like a good time to discuss the legal protections against...
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) helps employees to achieve a relatively healthy work-life balance. Provided that the circumstances meet the standards included in the law, professionals can request up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave annually under the FMLA. What...
Sexual harassment in the workplace is not just the result of individual misconduct; it is often a reflection of a deeper, systemic problem rooted in a company’s culture. Culture shapes behavior. It defines what is acceptable, what is ignored and what is punished. ...
Accepting a new job opportunity comes with a degree of risk. Employees never know until after they start a job whether the culture at the new company is a proper fit for them. Their job might not be as stable as they might hope. Seemingly successful businesses may...
When work is stressful or unfair, it can be tempting to take your frustrations online. However, posting negative comments about your employer on social media can do more harm than good—and in some cases, it could even hurt your ability to protect and/or exercise your...
Non-provisional federal workers (those who have completed their probationary period) generally enjoy strong job protection rights under federal employment law. Unlike private-sector employees who may work “at-will” and can often be terminated without cause, most...
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees to take unpaid leave for specific family and medical reasons. This federal law protects your job while you handle personal or health-related matters. If you work in Virginia, state laws may provide...
