Changes To NJ Workplace Claims After The Coronavirus Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in an increasing number of workplace claims, with more and more employees taking legal action against their employers. Why is that so? With work from home arrangements for the majority of employees and those in essential services still required to work onsite, work conditions have understandably changed, and some employers have failed to uphold their employees’ rights during this transition. We list out some of the common coronavirus related reasons employees have been raising workplace claims in this article. 

Failure to Adhere to Safety Regulations 

For employees in the healthcare and manufacturing sectors, working from home is simply not possible. When employees report to work as normal, they come into contact with colleagues and in the case of healthcare professionals, possibly even coronavirus patients. It goes without saying that certain precautions need to be taken and the appropriate protective equipment provided, but not all employers have stepped up to the mark in protecting their employees. This has resulted in an increasing number of claims related to the failure to provide a safe working environment. 

Retaliation Claims

There has been an increasing number of workplace claims where employees have been terminated for complaining about unsafe working conditions. in some cases, employees have been terminated for taking the leave they are rightfully allowed to take due to COVID-19 related reasons. These cases fall under wrongful termination and in some states, can be classified under public policy.

Leave Claims

On the other spectrum of leave claims, some employees have been denied their right to take family or medical leave. Although many businesses may be short-staffed due to the coronavirus, that does not give employers the right to deny employees their entitled leave.

Discrimination Claims

Some employers have made use of the coronavirus situation to exploit vulnerable and elderly employees. Employees have been denied the right to work from home despite their personal and health circumstances making it a better option for everyone. Some serious cases have even seen employees laid off for discriminatory reasons that make them more vulnerable to the virus, such as their age or underlying health conditions.

Wage-and-Hour Claims

With working from home being the new normal, some employees have had trouble getting their employers to pay them their rightful wages. Besides that, some independently contracted workers have been underpaid or not paid at all due to the impact COVID-19 has had on businesses. 

Carcich O’Shea Will Listen to Your Workplace Claim

What can you do if you have a workplace claim related to the coronavirus pandemic? It may seem like your troubles are being overlooked with what the whole world is going through right now, but here at Carcich O’Shea, we are here to listen and assist you. Our experienced attorneys specialize in employment law and business litigation and will advocate tirelessly on your behalf. Workplace issues can take a huge financial and emotional toll on you – do not delay, contact us today if you have a coronavirus related workplace claim to file.