Your rights in the workplace

Your rights in the workplace. Analyzing your options ; Talking it over with your employer ; Documenting the problem ; Considering legal action

Wages and hours. The Fair Labor Standards Act ; Rights under the FLSA ; Calculating your pay ; Calculating work hours ; Time off work for civic duties ; Payroll withholding and deductions ; Enforcing your right to be paid fairly ; Filing a complaint or lawsuit ; Violations of state and local laws

Health insurance. Coverage for current employees ; Coverage for former employees ; State laws on insurance continuation ; Utilization review

Family and medical leave. The Family and Medical Leave Act ; State family and medical leave laws ; The Pregnancy Discrimination Act ; Work/life balance

Privacy rights. Your personnel records ; Workplace testing ; Surveillance and monitoring ; Searches and seizures ; Clothing and grooming codes ; Conduct codes

Health and safety. The Occupational Safety and Health Act ; Enforcing OSHA rights ; Criminal actions for OSHA violations ; State and local health and safety laws ; Tobacco smoke in the workplace ; Pesticide laws ; Hazardous substances laws ; Violence in the workplace

Illegal discrimination. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act ; The Equal Pay Act ; The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act ; The Age Discrimination in Employment Act ; The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act ; The Americans with Disabilities Act ; Discrimination against workers with HIV or AIDS ; Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender workers ; State laws prohibiting discrimination

Sexual harassment. The effects of sexual harassment ; Federal law ; State laws ; Taking steps to end sexual harassment ; Where to get more information

Losing or leaving a job. The doctrine of Employment at Will ; When a firing may be illegal ; Employees' rights ; Finding out why you were fired ; Getting documentation ; Waiving your right to sue ; Taking action against your dismissal ; Plant closings

After a job loss. Your final paycheck ; Severance pay ; Getting references ; Collecting fringe benefits ; Outplacement programs ; Replacing your income ; Agreements not to compete ; Blacklisting

Unemployment . Who is covered ; Being disqualified for benefits ; Calculating your benefits ; Filing a claim ; Appealing benefit decisions

Workers' compensation. Who is covered ; Conditions covered ; The right to medical care ; Filing a workers' compensation claim ; Calculating benefits ; Related lawsuits for work injuries

Social Security disability insurance. Who is covered ; Disabilities covered ; Filing a Social Security claim ; Appealing a denied claim ; Collecting other benefits

Retirement plans. Social Security retirement benefits ; Private pensions ; 401(k) deferred compensation plans

Labor unions. Federal laws ; State laws ; The bargaining unit ; Types of union work situations ; Union elections ; The right to unionize ; The right to deunionize ; Where to get more help

Immigration issues. Federal law ; Documentation required to work in the United States ; Illegal discrimination ; English-only rules

Lawyers and legal research. Mediation and arbitration ; Small Claims Court ; Class action lawsuits ; Hiring a lawyer ; Legal research.

Your rights in the workplace

Wages and hours

Health insurance

Family and medical leave

Privacy rights

Health and safety

Illegal discrimination

Sexual harassment

Losing or leaving a job

After a job loss

Unemployment

Workers' compensation

Social security disability insurance

Retirement plans

Labor unions

Immigration issues

Lawyers and legal research.

1. Your rights in the workplace A. Analyzing your options B. Talking it over with your employer C. Documenting the problem D. Considering legal action 2. Wages and hours A. The Fair Labor Standards Act B. Rights under the FLSA C. Calculating your pay D. Calculating workhours E. State and local laws F. Payroll withholding and deductions G. Enforcing your right to be paid fairly H. Filing a complaint or lawsuit I. Violations of state and local laws 3. Health insurance A. No legal right to coverage B. Coverage for current employees C. Coverage for former employees D. Individual health insurance E. State laws on insurance continuation F. Utilization review 4. Family and medical leave A. The Family and Medial Leave Act B. State laws on family leave C. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act D. Balancing work and family : other ways to cope 5. Privacy rights A. Your personnel records B. Workplace testing C. Surveillance and monitoring D. Searches and seizures E. Clothing and grooming codes F. Conduct codes 6. Health and safety A. The Occupational Safety and Health Act B. Enforcing OSHA rights C. Criminal actions for OSHA violations D. State and local health and safety laws E. Tobacco smoke in the workplace F. Pesticide laws G. Hazardous substances laws H. Violence in the workplace 7. Illegal discrimination A. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act B. State and local antidiscrimination laws C. The Equal Pay Act D. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act E. The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act F. The Americans with Disabilities Act G. Discrimination against workers with HIV or AIDS H. Discrimination against gay and lesbian workers 8. Sexual harassment A. The effects of sexual harassment B. Federal law C. State laws D. Taking steps to end sexual harassment E. Where to get more information 9. Losing or leaving a job A. The doctrine of employment at will B. When a firing may be illegal C. Employees' rights D. Finding out the reason E. Getting documentation F. Waiving your right to sue G. Taking action against your dismissal H. Plant closings

10. After a job loss

A. Your final paycheck

B. Severance pay

C. Getting references

D. Collecting fringe benefits

E. Outplacement programs

F. Replacing your income

G. Agreements not to compete

H. Blacklisting

11. Unemployment

A. Who is covered

B. Being disqualified for benefits

C. Calculating your benefits

D. Filing a claim

E. Appealing benefit decisions

12. Workers' compensation

A. Who is covered

B. Conditions covered

C. The right to medical care

D. Filing a workers' compensation claim

E. Calculating benefits

F. State workers' compensation offices

G. Related lawsuits for work injuries

13. Social security disability insurance

A. Who is covered

B. Disabilities covered

C. Dependents entitled to benefits

D. Filing a social security claim

E. Appealing a denied claim

F. Collecting other benefits

14. Retirement plans

A. Social security retirement benefits

B. Private pensions

C. Where to get more information

D. 401(k) deferred compensation plans

15. Labor unions

A. Federal laws

B. State laws

C. The bargaining unit

D. Types of union work situations

E. Union elections

F. The right to unionize

G. The right to de-unionize

H. Where to get more help

16. Immigration issues

A. Federal law

B. Documentation required to work in the U.S.

C. Illegal discrimination

D. English-only rules

17. Lawyers and legal research

A. Mediation and arbitration

B. Small claims court

C. Class action lawsuits

D. Hiring a lawyer

E. Legal research

Appendix

AIDS-HIV

Civil rights

Disabled workers

Discrimination

Family issues

Gay and lesbian

Immigration

Labor departments

Legal referrals

Mediation and arbitration

Miscellaneous workplace issues

Older workers

Retirement plans and pensions

Safety and health issues

Unions

Women's issues.