The good news: The US has many labor laws that exist to protect employees from unsafe working conditions, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and other unlawful things.
The bad news: Most corporations and even many government entities consider these labor laws to be optional, ignore them, silence/threaten/fire HR professionals who insist on being compliant with labor laws, and violate these labor laws on a daily basis instead of complying with them.
Please sign petition @JusticeDept to Actually Enforce US Labor Laws & Prosecute Violators http://act.ly/388
Most corporations and many government entities hire lawyers to help them engage in unlawful retaliation against employees (including HR professionals who insist on legal compliance) who make legitimate complaints of violations of labor laws.
The other bad news: Because the EEOC, State Divisions of Human Rights, OSHA and other official places that exist for employees to make formal complaints about violations of labor laws in workplaces are so underfunded (due to GOP policies) and are so overwhelmed by the number of complaints they receive (because violations of labor laws are epidemic in the US), those who complain often have to wait 6 months or longer before their case is even assigned an investigator. Guess what happens in that situation? People get fired (wrongfully).
Please sign this petition @HildaSolisDOL to Actually Enforce US Labor Laws & Prosecute Violators http://act.ly/389
Then, these wrongfully and unlawfully fired employees only have recourse if they can afford to hire a lawyer. Most Americans cannot afford to hire a lawyer. These unlawfully fired employees can wait for the EEOC, State Division of Human Rights or OSHA to complete their investigation, however, many witnesses in the workplace become too afraid to tell the truth in these investigations out of fear of being unlawfully retaliated against by the employer – AND – these investigations can take many months and even years before they are completed and there is any resolution. In the end, these employees will still need to be able to afford an attorney. Most attorneys will not take cases on contingency (meaning you only pay them if they win your case). Attorneys’ fees for such cases are often at least $50,000 – $200,000. Most Americans cannot afford this.
When employees are in a Union, there is less of a likelihood that an employer will violate labor laws and get away with it. This is only one reason why Unions are so important. Please Sign this Petition to President Obama and your Senators and Representatives @change : Demand Legal Compliance in US Workplaces http://chn.ge/bO31L8
Make sure you’re getting your news from credible journalism sources: Fox News lies so much that Canadian law bars them from broadcasting there http://t.co/9r5BMyj
Here’s the printed text of “America is NOT Broke” (the speech in Madison by Michael Moore) http://j.mp/gNLnDF and here’s the YouTube of his Madison speech: http://mmflint.me/hMf5X3
Sign up to see how your elected officials vote on various issues: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/megavote/
YOU HAVE RIGHTS!
If you believe you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, age, or disability, you have the right to file a complaint. In certain programs, discrimination based on sex, religion, citizenship, or political affiliation or belief is also against the law.
This brochure is intended to help you get the results you deserve. In order to ensure that your complaint is being handled properly, please follow the instructions given.
First, find the program or activity that you are involved in. Then make sure that alleged discrimination charge is covered in that program. Send your complaint to the agency listed.
Your complaint must be filed within 180 days of the alleged incident.
Make sure you include all the information that is important to your complaint.
Please write or type your letter legibly.
FEDERAL AGENCY
Department of Education Office of Civil Rights
Mary E. Switzer Bldg
330 C Street Southwest
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 205-5557; 1-800-421-3481
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
131 M Street NE, Fourth Floor Suite 4NW02F Washington, DC 20507
(202) 663-4900; 1-800-669-4000
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20201
(202) 619-0403; 1-800-368-1019
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
451 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20410
(202) 708-4252; 1-800-669-9777
Department of Labor Civil Rights Center
200 Constitution Avenue, NW Room N-4123
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 693-6500
PROGRAM/ACTIVITIES COVERED
Educational institution, private employers, State and local governments
State and local governments, educational institutions, unions’ apprenticeship programs employment agencies and private employers with 15 or more employees
Private employers, state and local governments, post secondary educations institutions in the health field, hospitals, nursing homes, social service agencies and facilities.
State and local governments and housing authorities
Private employers, State and local governments if participants in Department of Labor programs.
BASIS OF DISCRIMINATION
Race, color, sex national origin, and disability
Race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, and disability
Race, color, sex, national origin, religion, and disability
Race, color, sex, national origin, religion, and disability
Race, color, sex, national origin, disability, political affiliation or belief, and citizenship
FEDERAL AGENCY
Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
200 Constitution Ave NW, Room C-3325
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 693- 0101
National Labor Relations
1099 14th Street NW, Room 9700
Washington, DC 20570
(202) 273-3891
Small Business Administration of Equal Employment Opportunity & Civil Rights
Compliance
409 3rd Street SW
Washington, DC 20416
(202) 205-6750
Department of Labor Office Wage & Hour Division (WHD)
200 Constitution Ave NW, Room S-3502
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 693- 0563
U.S. Postal Service
Office of Equal Employment Opportunity 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20260
(202) 768-1000; 1-888-308-7654
COVERED PROGRAM/ACTIVITIES
Federal contractors and sub contractors, contractors and sub-contractors and federally assisted construction.
Prevents and remedies unfair labor practices by employers and labor organizations.
Aids and protects small business interests through financial investment, procurement and management assistance. Ensures that beneficiaries of SBA’s programs are in compliance with civil rights legislation
Federal minimum wage, overtime pay, child labor requirements; Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the Employee Polygraph Protection Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, wage garnishment provisions of the Consumer Credit Protection Act
Handles complaints of discrimination from employees, present and former
BASIS OF DISCRIMINATION
Race, color, sex, national origin, disability, disabled Veterans and Veterans
* If your complaint does not appear to be covered by one of the above-listed agencies, you should contact your State government for the name of the organization within the State that would handle your complaint.
(U.S. Department of Labor, 2009)
More Coming Soon
