With COVID-19, workplace lawsuits are more commonplace than ever before. A lawsuit at the wrong time can’t just throw sand in the gears of a business — in some cases, it can cause bankruptcy.
So, how do you as an employer avoid these lawsuits? The first step is to be aware of some of the common employment lawsuits you might face. To help you with this, we’ve organized this list of the five most popular types. Let’s get started!
1. Wrongful Termination
Wrongful termination occurs when someone is fired with a contract in place. It can also happen if someone is fired for something like pregnancy, family leave, retaliation, medical leave, and discrimination. All of these are illegal reasons to fire someone.
2. Discrimination
Discrimination occurs when you fire someone for a reason that characterizes a group of people. There are a variety of ways you can discriminate against an employee. Some of the common ways are:
- Sex
- Age
- Race
- Height
- Pregnancy
- Religion
- Disability
- Genetics
- Weight
In case one of these types of discrimination happened in your workplace such as discrimination against pregnant women, it’s important to look for an attorney to help the victim. You can search online and just type pregnancy discrimination lawyers near me to locate the best lawyer to handle the matter.
3. Sexual Harassment
Ever since the #MeToo movement, sexual harassment lawsuits are becoming increasingly common. While sexual assault is the most visible example of this type of harassment, the reality is that it covers a variety of things.
Things like name-calling, suggestive comments, dirty jokes, and cornering someone all fall under sexual harassment.
4. Wages and Hours Violation
If you make an employee work hour that they’re not compensated for, then it’s considered wage theft. This type of violation can also occur if you deduct hours from their time cards, or misclassify them as an independent contractor.
5. Hostile Work Environment
When we think of harassment, our minds typically go toward sexual harassment. However, the reality is that many different types of harassment can occur to anyone.
There are a variety of factors that can contribute to a hostile workplace environment. However, the main ones include mistreating an employee due to their popularity, gender, race, religion, weight, or disabilities.
How Do You Avoid These Types of Lawsuits?
The best way to avoid these types of lawsuits is to provide training to your employees. Create a workplace environment that encourages open discussion when incidents like harassment or discrimination occur.
You should also pay close attention to who you’re terminating and who’s on your payroll to avoid wrongful termination lawsuits and wage violations. Make sure to check out this detailed guide to learn how to avoid lawsuits.
Want More Content? Keep Reading
We hope this article helped you learn about the five most common types of employment lawsuits. As we mentioned, the key to staying ahead of these lawsuits is to be aware of the factors that cause them.
However, keep in mind that it doesn’t begin and end there. You’ll also need to implement measures to prevent them. Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep reading to find more topics that you’re sure to love.
