Do you think your workplace is unsafe, but are you scared to speak up? Maybe you don’t want to be seen as a complainer, or maybe you’re afraid that your boss will retaliate in some way if you say what’s on your mind.
If you think that a complaint needs to be filed to keep yourself and others safe, don’t be afraid to do it. It is illegal for you to be fired for the complaint. Your boss is not allowed to retaliate against you in any way. Common types of retaliation that have been outlawed include:
— Firing you from your position or terminating your contract.– Laying you off–which is slightly different than being fired.– Demoting you to a less desirable position.– Blacklisting you in the industry.– Denying you a promotion you would have otherwise received.– Refusing to give you proper overtime pay.– Denying you benefits that you deserve.– Punishing you in any way within the workplace.– Refusing to hire you (or refusing to rehire you, in many cases).– Harassing you or trying to intimidate you.– Making threats that are directly focused on you.– Reassigning you to another position, especially one that you don’t want or that will keep you from getting a promotion.– Reducing the amount of money that you are paid, whether you’re hourly, on a salary or using a different pay scale.– Reducing the amount of hours you get to work.
As you can see, the protections that you enjoy in Pennsylvania are very comprehensive, so make sure you know what legal action you can take.
Source: Occupational Safety & Health Administration, “Protection from Workplace Retaliation,” accessed Dec. 04, 2015