Is it illegal for an employer to refuse to assist employees with career development issues?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is it illegal for an employer to refuse to assist employees with career development issues?
For whatever odd reason I cannot advance in my career. I get these odd reasons none of which relate to the position requirements of being turned down. The latest was outright slander against me. This week I found that I was removed from the pool of applicants as there were too many people. They picked and chooses the “qualified” people themselves the rest were just out of luck.I have tried the corporate mentorship program but the mentor never responds.
Asked on May 12, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Arizona
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
No, it is not illegal--employers have no legal responsibility whatsoever to their employees for their career development. Employers also have no responsibility to treat employees fairly or equally, with one exception: they may not discriminate on certain protected bases, such as (under federal law) due to an employee's race, religion, sex, disability, or age over 40. So if the treatment you complain of is motivated by illegal discrimimation, you may have a cause of action or grounds to file a complaint with the department of labor.
Note, though, that except for illegal, class- or group-based discrimination, your employer has no obligations to treat you fairly; it is free to promote others ahead of you, for example, simply because managers or supervisors like thoese people more.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.