Is it legal for my work to suspend me without telling me why andd with no pay?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Is it legal for my work to suspend me without telling me why andd with no pay?
Supposedly some people feel threatened that I carry a pocket knife for opening boxes at work. No one has ever said anything about feeling threatened either. I got a phone call from my manager on her day off from her cell phone saying I was suspended without pay but couldn’t tell me why because it’s an investigation. 3 days later she called to tell me some people complained about my 3″ pocket knife. I can’t go back to work until I supposedly e-mail a letter explaining why I have a knife. There was no legal documentation saying I was suspended either. It was only a phone call. There has been no meeting.
Asked on September 29, 2011 under Employment Labor Law, Oregon
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
First of all, is there any employment contract, union agreement or the like that prohibits this action? Does this suspension without pay violate existing company policy? Is this treatment the result of actionable discrimination? If not, then your employer is within its legal rights to do what it has done. The fact is that an "at will" work relationship gives an employer great discretion in setting the terms and conditions of employment. This includes when to hire/fire/, promote/demote, increase/decrease salary/hours and matters including suspensions.
If you think that your rights have in some way been violated, you can file a compliant with your state's department of labor.
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.