Treated unfairly at work
Preparing to talk to a lawyer about a problem at work
The meeting with HR was fifteen minutes. The badge stopped working that afternoon. Now you are trying to remember when your manager's attitude changed, and whether you kept that email.
Work problems are easier to explain, and to assess, when the events are in order. Here is how to get them there without doing anything that could cause you trouble.
Build a timeline of what happened at work
Start with when you were hired and your job title. Then add the moments that matter: a complaint you made, a request for time off or an accommodation (a change at work because of a disability, pregnancy or religious practice), a change in how you were treated, a warning, a change in pay or hours, and the day you were let go or left. Add who was involved in each. Rough dates are fine.
Keep what is already yours
Keep the documents you received in the ordinary course of your job: your offer letter, any contract, pay stubs, performance reviews, the employee handbook if you were given one, and any separation or severance papers. Save texts and personal emails about what happened.
Don't take what isn't yours
Don't download, forward or copy company files, customer information or other people's records that you aren't allowed to access, even if you think they prove your point. Doing so can create serious problems for you. If you believe important records exist, write down what they are and where they are, and tell the lawyer.
Before you sign anything to leave
If you have been offered severance, it usually comes with an agreement that asks you to give up claims against the employer. Read it carefully and note any date by which you must sign. Some agreements must give you time to consider them, depending on your age and the law that applies. Try to talk to a lawyer before that date.
If you were not paid what you are owed
Write down the hours you actually worked, including time before and after your shift, breaks you worked through and travel between job sites, alongside what you were paid. Your own notes are useful, especially if your employer's records are incomplete.
Why speed matters for work problems
Some workplace claims must first be brought to a government agency before anyone can go to court, and those agency deadlines can be short, sometimes a matter of months. If you think one may be close, speak with a lawyer licensed where you worked now.
Your short list
- A timeline, from your hire date to today.
- Your offer letter, contract, pay stubs and reviews.
- Any severance or separation papers, and the date by which you must sign.
- Texts and personal emails about what happened.
- Your own record of hours worked, if pay is the problem.
- Names of the people involved, including anyone you complained to.
This page explains things in general terms. It is not legal advice about your situation, and the law differs from state to state.