Protect your Employment Rights, Claims, AND SANITY
TIPS:
NOTE: None of the following constitutes Legal Advice, nor does it imply or create an attorney client relationship.
- Keep your cool. This is perhaps the hardest thing you have to do, since it’s so difficult to keep your emotions in check when things get bad at work. Don’t let them trick you into giving them a good excuse to act against you.
- New Mexico is a single party recording state. This means that as long as you are part of the conversation, only YOU need to know that you are recording. Use your smartphone to record any time you think that there is a chance that you might need to prove what went on. This includes meetings and interactions with your superiors, HR and individuals who may have acted inappropriately.
- Keep interactions with supervisors and/or problem individuals in writing via email as much as possible. After meetings, send a followup email to document what went on in that meeting.
- If you believe something illegal or unethical is going on at work. Report it.
- DO NOT use your work computer or email to look up legal matters or to communicate with legal professionals. You have no right to privacy at work, and you may be being monitored.
- Keep a timeline and/or calendar of when events happen, such as when you reported something, when you were harassed, or when something bad happened at work because of your complaint.
- Print or backup your emails and notes on a regular basis.
- Create a timeline describing what happened and when. Include who was involved and the names of any witnesses. This will make it easier to explain it to an attorney.
- Go to Workplace Fairness (link below) and research everything you can about your claim. The more you understand about your specific situation, the more help you can be in fighting for justice for yourself and others in the future. Remember that YOU will always be your own best advocate, and the more you know about how to protect your employment rights, the better job you can do!
USEFUL LINKS:
http://www.workplacefairness.org — An extremely useful resource to look up information on the specifics of your problem. I used this a lot to help me understand what was illegal and what was not, and how to know retaliation when it happened.