If you believe your rights have been violated in your place, there are actions you can take. Whether you want to file a complaint because of discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour pay violations, or a hostile work environment, you need to sure about every move you make to protect your claim. One of the most important things you must do is to consult a Morristown employment lawyer. Meanwhile, the following are crucial steps you must take:
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Have Proper Documentation
Make sure to document anything that involves your claim. Make the complaint in writing or document it in detail. Documentation is vital in proving your claim and preventing your employer from taking back their statement later.
Gather Evidence
Both tangible and digital evidence can support your claim. This includes emails, text messages, as well as social media posts and messages, depending on the type of complaint you are filing. In a lawsuit, you must preserve any evidence relevant to your employment situation. Ensure to collect only documents you have legitimate access to. Copying or taking confidential documents, no matter how relevant they are to your dispute, could get you terminated and could hurt your legal claim.
Hire an Employment Attorney
If you have decided to file an employment claim or lawsuit, you must meet your legal deadlines. There is a set time limit for filing certain kinds of claims or lawsuits. You might want to consult an attorney about your issue to determine the strength of your claims, ensure you meet filing deadlines, and understand what to expect to gain or lose from the lawsuit.
File a Formal Complaint with Your Company
If talking to your boss does not productive, you can file a formal complaint with the company that employs you. Make sure to have the complaint on file as this proves your effort to try to resolve the problem before you bring it to the courtroom. This will help build your case.
File an Administrative Charge
This is an important step to take before you bring the case to court. You must do this through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or EEOC or your local state agency. The agency may try to reach out to your employer and talk with them. They may decide to ignore your complaint or request that you handle it on your own. Or it may issue a right to sue letter to you. When this happens, you will be ready to move forward.