Los Angeles Employment Lawyer Blog

Retribution is a legal term that is not that different from what it means in the outside world-payback. It can happen for many reasons: you have reported your boss for illegal or suspected illegal activity to an outside agency; you have filed a worker’s compensation claim; you have a medical disability and have begun negotiations for a reasonable accommodation; or you have gone to your boss about lost wages, errors in your paychecks, or wage discrimination (you are being paid less than your equal counterpart due to your age, gender, race or other qualified category). Retribution is simple, once one of these examples has happened, you notice that your working environment is suddenly harder, your pay is less, or you are wrongfully terminated from your job.

Retribution is illegal and you are protected from wrongful and discriminatory retribution practices from your boss for many qualified actions. The list above is not all-inclusive; there are many more reasons why your boss cannot fire you without legal cause. Additionally, sexual harassment is a very common ground for retribution. You have been asked to perform a sexual favor, or your boss has asked you on a date, but when you decline, your workplace becomes hostile. All of these examples are illegal. What can you do?

There is help. While your boss is not necessarily breaking the law for being a jerk, or for firing you if he had a legal cause, many times retribution is easy to see since it follows some other illegal act or practice on the part of your employer. If you have become the victim of retribution in your workplace, call the Law Offices of Greenberg & Rudman LLP at 1-800-252-9776 for a free consultation regarding your legal rights and how one of our experienced employment lawyers may be able to help you.