Quick Tips — Know Your Rights at Work
Short, no-jargon guides for employees who think something is wrong at work. What to do in the first 48 hours, what to preserve, what HR isn't telling you.
What to do in the first 48 hours after retaliation starts
The window where most cases are won or lost. A 5-step checklist anyone can follow before they even talk to a lawyer.
~3 min read EvidenceHow to back up work evidence without tipping off your employer
Personal-device methods that don't trigger DLP alerts. What to grab today, in what order, and where to put it.
~4 min read Myth-bustingWhat "at-will employment" doesn't actually mean
HR will tell you they can fire you "for any reason." That's only half-true. The exceptions are bigger than most employees realize.
~3 min read ConceptWhen "quitting" actually counts as being fired
Constructive discharge: the doctrine that turns a forced resignation into a wrongful termination — and unlocks the same damages.
~3 min read Reality checkWhy HR is not your friend (even when they say they are)
HR's legal job is to protect the company from you. Understanding their actual incentives changes how you should talk to them.
~3 min read PlaybookRequest your personnel file early — then compare it to your own copies
The highest-leverage move there is: get the employer's own records, put them next to your copies, and find the contradictions that win cases.
~4 min read EvidenceScreenshot your scheduling and timekeeping system
These systems log who refused or invalidated each shift, and when. That "who + when" turns a vague hours-cut into named, dated proof — capture it before it changes.
~3 min read EvidenceKeep a before-and-after log of your hours and pay
Economic harm only lands when it's measured and dated. Build it from your own pay stubs — and don't try to calculate what you're owed.
~3 min read EvidenceSave every letter the agencies send you — and request their file
Replies from the EEOC, OSHA, or NLRB are dated third-party records, and you can often get the agency's whole file — including what your employer told them.
~3 min read EvidenceIf your confidential complaint gets exposed at work, document it
When a supervisor reveals the complaint you filed in confidence, that's both a harm and a sign the employer knew. Here's exactly what to capture.
~3 min read DeadlinesOSHA retaliation complaints are time-sensitive — and your state may run its own OSHA
The safety-retaliation window can be as short as 30 days, and where you file depends on your state. The one corner of employment law where waiting can cost you the option.
~3 min read