Question of the Month
From the Catherwood Library reference librarians
December 2004
PLEASE NOTE: The Reference Question of the Month is kept current only during the month for which it was written. Archived questions will not be updated, and over time may contain inaccurate information or broken web links. We provide archived questions as a service, since much of the information will remain accurate and of continued interest to the ILR community.
Question: Something is happening at work, or my supervisor has taken action that I don't think is legal. What are my rights in the workplace?
Answer: Library staff cannot provide you with legal advice - to obtain such advice, you should contact an attorney licensed to practice law in your jurisdiction. However, there are several online sources you can check to get a general overview of your employment rights. In reviewing these sources, remember that the answer to your question may also depend on the laws of the state or city you work in, your employment contract, your employer's human resource policies, or the collective bargaining agreement you're under.
A good place to start is with a general employment law site. Here are several:
- Alexander Hamilton Institute--Employment Law Resource Center
- Department of Labor, U.S. - Laws and Regs
- DiscriminationAttorney.com
- EEOC - Federal Laws Prohibiting Job Discrimination Questions And Answers
- FindLaw's Labor Law Resources
- WWW Virtual Library-Law
- Law About Employment
- 'Lectric Law Library's Lawcopedia on Employment & Labor Organizations
- Workplace Fairness
If you want information in a specific employment law area, take a look at these sites:
AGE DISCRIMINATION
DISABILITY ISSUES
- ABA Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law
- Accommodations for People with Psychiatric Disabilities
- Americans with Disabilities Act - Department of Justice
- Disability Issues
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
RACE DISCRIMINATION
- Adversity.net - For victims of preferential treatment
- National Committee on Pay Equity
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
SEX DISCRIMINATION/SEXUAL HARRASSMENT
- About, The Human Internet - Sexual Harassment
- EEOC - Facts About Sexual Harassment
- Women's Rights at Work
SEXUAL ORIENTATION DISCRIMINATION
UNION ISSUES
- Workplace Rights (NLRB)
- Association for Union Democracy
- Collective Bargaining and Labor Arbitration
- Labor Links: Trade Union Research Tools
- National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation
- U.S. Labor Law
VETERAN'S RIGHTS
- National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
- Veterans' Employment and Training Service
WHISTLEBLOWER ISSUES
If you want to find a lawyer, these sites can help:
