Evidence Used in Chicago Workplace Retaliation Cases

The law prohibits your employer from retaliating if you made a good-faith complaint or exercised your legal rights. Wanta Thome Employment Lawyers can help you get relief from your employer’s adverse actions, including financial damages.

In situations like these, it is important to understand the evidence used in Chicago workplace retaliation cases. Our award-winning employment retaliation attorneys can advise you on the specific types of evidence that could be most helpful given the facts of your case. To begin protecting your rights before it is too late, schedule your consultation with our team today.

What is Illegal Retaliation and When Does it Occur?

Employers are required to obey federal, state, and local laws regarding wages, hours, safety, and freedom from discrimination in the workplace. An employer cannot retaliate if you:

  • Report a violation
  • Support a co-worker who makes a report
  • Cooperate with regulators investigating a complaint against the employer
  • Make a workers’ compensation claim
  • Request unpaid time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act
  • Request an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act

Employer retaliation could include terminating your employment, forcing a transfer, or assigning the best projects to someone else. Any negative change in the way you are treated that occurs soon after you took the protected action could be retaliatory.

It is wise to consult an employment lawyer before you take a protected action, such as filing a complaint or participating in an investigation. Our Chicago team can provide advice about what to expect, how to protect yourself, and what evidence to use in a workplace retaliation case. The sooner you contact a lawyer, the better their chances of recovering the compensation you deserve.

Gathering the Required Evidence

When you accuse an employer of taking an adverse action in retaliation, they will likely bring up mistakes or rule violations you made throughout your employment to justify their actions. The longer you wait to act, the more opportunity the employer has to build a case in support of the adverse action.

Seeking legal advice from Wanta Thome Employment Lawyers immediately can limit your employer’s efforts to justify the retaliation. We do not charge you unless we win your case, so there is no risk in contacting us for help.

Document every incident or action that feels retaliatory and keep any proof, such as emails, texts, or voicemails. You should present documentation that demonstrates your relationship with the company before you took the protected action. You can also use old performance reviews, emails from colleagues and supervisors, and awards or commendations you received as evidence in your Chicago workplace retaliation case, as these can help show the contrast in how you were treated before and after you took the protected action.

Settlements With Retaliatory Employers

Our employment retaliation lawyers in Chicago review your case and discuss your goals with you to determine which approach to use and what evidence is needed. The strategy we use if you want to keep your job or be reinstated is different from the one we use if you are only seeking compensation for the mistreatment you experienced.

We always try to resolve your case as quickly as possible, often beginning by contacting your employer to let them know we have evidence of illegal retaliation. We then try to negotiate a solution that achieves your goals. If negotiations fail, we can make a formal complaint to the regulatory authorities.

The Illinois Human Rights Act at 775 Illinois Civil Statutes 5/ protects workers from discrimination based on more than 20 personal characteristics, including race, religion, gender, and gender expression. You can file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) if your employer engaged in discriminatory behavior or retaliated against you for making or supporting a report. The IDHR will investigate, and it can penalize the employer and help negotiate a fair settlement for the losses you suffered due to the employer’s actions.

Call a Chicago Lawyer To Discuss Evidence Used in Workplace Retaliation Cases

Compiling the evidence used in Chicago workplace retaliation cases is critical to the success of your case. Do not wait to take action. Contact our team at Wanta Thome Employment Lawyers today for help documenting and proving workplace retaliation.