Your Boss Can't Do That!

Man Sitting With Laptop Computer on Desk and Lamp — Photo by Moose Photos on Pexels

Many employees are often left in the dark about their rights in the workplace, leading to your boss’s potential violations of labor laws. Here’s a rundown of some things your boss can’t legally do.

1.Your boss can’t ask prohibited questions on job applications. That means a job application can’t ask for your age, marital status, religion or plans to become pregnant, among other things.

2.They can’t require employees to sign broad noncompete agreements. Noncompete agreements generally stipulate that employees can’t work for a competitor for a certain period of time after leaving a company. However, they can’t be so broad as to make it impossible for someone to find a job in their field.

3.Your boss can’t forbid you from discussing your salary with co-workers. Trying to quash these discussions, either in person or online, can be seen as an illegal attempt to prevent workers from organizing or unionizing.

4.Your boss can’t ignore exemptions to vaccination mandates. While mandating vaccination is not illegal for most workers, it can violate the law if exemptions are not allowed for medical reasons or deeply held religious beliefs.

Last but not all, your boss can’t turn a blind eye to a hostile workplace. An employer has an obligation to ensure its workplace is a safe environment and that worker complaints are handled in an appropriate manner.

Remember, no one is above the law, your boss included. The National Labor Relations Act and a variety of statutes overseen by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) protect employees from bad work environments, different kinds of discrimination and unfair labor practices. So, if you think your employer has run afoul of the rules, don’t hesitate to speak up.