Though some unscrupulous employers sometimes act like employees must follow whatever rules or directives they impose, the truth is that employees enjoy numerous important protections in the state of Georgia. It is in your best interest to familiarize yourself with your rights so that you can recognize violations should they occur. Our Atlanta employment law attorneys are happy to answer any questions you may have about your rights and whether your employer’s actions violated them. 

As an employee, you are protected from:

• Discrimination. In Georgia, your employer cannot make employment decisions based on your race, national origin, color, religion, sex, pregnancy status, age (40-70), citizenship status, genetic information, or disability. Examples of employment decisions include choosing who to hire, who to promote, and who to lay off or fire. Discriminatory harassment, which can include inappropriate comments and other forms of unwelcome conduct, can create a hostile work environment, which is also unlawful. Sexual harassment is considered discriminatory on the basis of sex. If you have a disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation, and your employer must make a good-faith effort to explore its implementation.
• Retaliation. Your employer cannot retaliate against you for engaging in a protected activity. Protected activities include requesting information about your rights, telling others about possible workplace violations, complaining about unlawful behavior (including discrimination and sexual harassment), discussing wages and other work-related with your coworkers, filing a workers’ compensation claim, reporting unlawful behavior, and refusing to commit an unlawful act on behalf of your employer. Adverse actions that constitute retaliation include termination, demotion, harassment, unjustifiable or disproportionate discipline, or any other act that would disincentivize you from exercising your rights. 
• Wrongful termination. Georgia is an at-will employment state, meaning employees can be terminated for almost any reason. However, you cannot be fired or let go for discriminatory or retaliatory reasons.

Your employer must follow all state and federal wage laws, which include paying you the minimum wage and overtime wages under qualifying conditions. Employers cannot pay you less for the same work because of your sex. They also cannot misclassify you as an independent contractor if you are performing the duties of an employee. If you work for an employer with at least 50 employees, you are entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid protected leave per year for the birth of your child, for the adoption of your child, to manage a serious illness, or to care for a spouse or child dealing with a serious illness. 

These are just a few of the employment laws that some employers have made an unfortunate habit of violating. If you think your rights may have been violated, we encourage you to discuss your options with our Atlanta employment lawyers.