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 October 31, 2022

Your Guide to Employee Rights

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When it comes to work, everyone expects to be treated fairly and enjoy the work they’ve been hired to do. But unfortunately, many Americans are subject to cruel and illegal treatment by their employers.

Whether it’s wrongful termination or sexual harassment, or many other types of mistreatment, employees don’t have to “grin and bear it” through such behavior. There are laws that establish and protect employee rights—and you should be aware of them.

Perhaps you’ve been laid off. LegalShield provider lawyer Michael Dupont talks about what you and other employees need to know if this happens in a CNN Business article, “Getting laid off? Know your rights.” Or maybe you’re offered a voluntary buyout? Lindsay Greene, a partner at DSK Law, who is another LegalShield provider lawyer, discusses the importance of reviewing the terms of the agreement in depth before signing in the CNBC article, “With layoffs looming, you could be offered a voluntary buyout—4 things to know before taking one.”

In this guide, we’ll explain what you need to know about employee rights and how they can help protect you in times of trouble. Here’s what each chapter covers.

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Top Laws Protecting Employee Rights

Do you know the main laws that protect employee rights? In this chapter, we’ll dive into historic and current legislation that protects employees and independent contractors.

Types of Discrimination in the Workplace

There are more than a dozen different kinds of employee discrimination. In this chapter, we dive into the main ones.

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Wrongful Termination: Actions You Can Take

Were you fired for job hunting? Experts estimate that at least 150,000 people are wrongfully fired every year. Read this chapter to learn what you can do if it’s happened to you.

Paid Vacation Rights for Employees

Believe it or not, most employees have a right to paid time off. In this chapter, we describe paid vacation rights.

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Random Employee Drug Testing

Yes, companies are entitled to randomly drug test, but there are limits. In this chapter, we describe the questions you should consider.

Employee Privacy

Employees are entitled to privacy on their private devices at work. This chapter discusses things you should know about your privacy rights.

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Maternity Leave

There are several U.S. laws relating to maternity leave. Learn your basic maternity leave entitlements in this chapter.

Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. (“PPLSI”) provides access to legal services offered by a network of provider law firms to PPLSI members through membership-based participation. Neither PPLSI nor its officers, employees or sales associates directly or indirectly provide legal services, representation, or advice. The information available in this blog is meant to provide general information and is not intended to provide legal advice, render an opinion, or provide any specific recommendations. The blog post is not a substitute for competent legal counsel from a licensed professional lawyer in the state or province where your legal issues exist, and the reader is strongly encouraged to seek legal counsel for your specific legal matter. Information contained in the blog may be provided by authors who could be a third-party paid contributor. All information by authors is accepted in good faith, however, PPLSI makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of such information.

Related Content

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Wrongful Termination: What is it?

Employees are sometimes wrongfully terminated from their jobs. This can happen for a number of reasons, such as discrimination, retaliation, or simply because the employer wants to get rid of the employee. If you have been wrongfully fired from your job, there are a...

An image of a doctor pointing to a clipboard, surrounded by drug testing equipment.

Random Drug Testing at Work. What are Your Rights?

It's no secret that random drug testing is becoming increasingly common in workplaces across the United States. Since federal laws mandated employer-issued drug guidelines in 1988, companies across the country have rushed into compliance. But what are your rights when...

An image of a person holding a magnifying glass over a laptop.

Employee Privacy Laws

American employees have certain privacy rights when it comes to their employment. This includes the right to keep their personal emails private, the right not to be spied on, and the right to keep their social media profiles private. In this chapter, we discuss...