Employment
Employment Handbook
Washington
Employment handbook employee rights?
I am an employee of a company and I recently received a copy of the Employment Handbook that outlines the rights and responsibilities of the employees. After reading through the handbook, I am concerned that some of the policies may not be in compliance with the law. I want to make sure that my rights as an employee are being respected and that I am fully aware of any legal obligations that I may have.
1 Attorney answer
Answer
Employment
Washington
Merry A.
ContractsCounsel verified
Hello - I have been an attorney for nearly 38 years and specialize in employment law. It would be helpful to know what policies concern you, but be aware that federal and state law, and usually county and city as well, override any policies that are incorrect. Meanwhile, keep in mind that if you are an "at will" employee you have few, if any rights (other than certain ones protected by law); that sometimes employers don't keep up with updating their polices; and that HR is not your friend. If you feel your rights are not being respected, you may want to book a 30 or 60 minute consultation with a WA State Employment attorney. If you feel you have been or are being discriminated against because of a protected class status, you can also file discrimination complaints with the WA State Human Rights Commission and/or the EEOC. If you are not getting the wages you should be receiving, you can file a wage complaint with the state; you will be protected from retaliation for doing so. If you feel your working conditions are unsafe, you can file a complaint with the WA State equivalent of OSHA, and/or with OSHA (federal). Best wishes, Merry