DOL Offering Resources to Help Workers Exercise Their Rights

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division launched several resources to help employees combat retaliation for exercising their rights. The resources include:

• A field assistance bulletin “Protecting Workers from Retaliation”
• A presentation: “Unlawful Retaliation Under the Laws Enforced by the Wage and Hour Division.”
• A new website: Wage and Hour Division Anti-Retaliation

 Employer retaliation, a violation of labor protections laws, is an action that discourages employees from raising concerns about a possible labor violation or engaging in other protected activity such as filing a complaint with the DOL, cooperating with a DOL investigation, or inquiring about possible violations in their employer’s pay practices.  

The Wage and Hour Division investigates allegations of retaliation in all its forms, such as reduction of work hours or pay; denial of vacation or sick time; bullying; or threat of job loss, demotion, deportation, or violence.

“The Wage and Hour Division is committed to preventing and addressing retaliation against workers and will use every tool available to safeguard worker protections,” said Wage and Hour Division Acting Administrator Jessica Looman. “These protections uphold the rights of workers to identify violations of the law without fear of termination or other threats to their reputation, safety, or livelihood.”