Worker protections
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Learn about basic worker rights in Washington State, including legal protections for your political beliefs and privacy (drug, genetic, cannabis testing, and vehicle searches), protections for union members, and restrictions on arbitration agreements.
Contents
1. Basic worker rights
What is constructive discharge?
Constructive discharge is when your working conditions become so intolerable because of discrimination or harassment that you are forced to quit. Courts and agencies treat constructive discharge more like being fired because the unfair treatment forced you into quitting. Constructive discharge is a legal claim that your lawyer can make for you if you were forced to quit because of discrimination at work. Just because you weren’t fired and were forced to quit instead, doesn’t mean you don’t have rights.
If you are in a constructive discharge situation, get legal help.
What is retaliation?
Retaliation is when your employer punishes you or treats you negatively because you made a claim of discrimination to HR, your union, other managers, the courts, or one of the reporting agencies. Retaliation can also happen to witnesses, workers that oppose discrimination, or other workers who participate in a discrimination investigation.
Retaliation is prohibited under both state and federal law. Learn more about retaliation at work.