Can a company retaliate against an employee for contacting the HR department?
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Can a company retaliate against an employee for contacting the HR department?
My direct supervisor disclosed to the staff the details of a confidential discussion I had with him. Due to the embarrassing rumors, I reached out to our HR department. This was after I tried contacting him first. He told me I should not have called HR and now there is an ad for my position online. I have a 4 year tenure with no history of disciplinary actions.
Asked on August 11, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Alabama
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
Unless you have a written employment contract which limits the reasons for or process by which you may be terminated, you are an "employee at will," and an employee at will may be terminated at any time, for any reason...including, as unfair as it is, for talking to HR about a supervisor. If no one higher up in the company is willing to stop this, it is legal.
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