Employees who report workplace misconduct are legally protected from retaliation, including termination, demotion, reduced pay, or reduced hours. If your employer punished you for speaking up, you may have a valid retaliation claim.
What Is Workplace Retaliation?
Workplace retaliation occurs when an employer takes negative action against an employee for engaging in legally protected activity. This includes reporting discrimination, harassment, wage violations, or other unlawful conduct—either internally or to a government agency.
The law protects your right to raise concerns without fear of punishment. Your employer cannot lawfully fire you, demote you, cut your pay or hours, or otherwise penalize you for reporting misconduct.
Whistleblower Protections
A whistleblower is an employee who reports illegal or unethical conduct by their employer. Whistleblowers play a critical role in holding employers accountable, and multiple state and federal laws prohibit retaliation against them.
Whistleblower protections may apply whether you reported misconduct to management, human resources, or an outside agency.
Signs of Retaliation
Retaliation often appears shortly after an employee reports misconduct. Common examples include:
- Termination or forced resignation
- Demotion or loss of responsibilities
- Pay cuts or reduced work hours
- Negative performance reviews after reporting issues
- Increased scrutiny or disciplinary action
If your treatment changed after you spoke up, retaliation may be the cause.
We Can Help
If you reported discrimination, harassment, or other unlawful conduct and believe your employer retaliated against you, you are not alone. We help employees in Missouri and Illinois enforce their rights and hold employers accountable.
Contact us to learn how we can help protect your rights and evaluate your retaliation claim.