For workers in Oregon, being mistreated on the job can cause a litany of problems. Whether it is discrimination, harassment, wage issues, abuse or any other violation of employment law, it can be intimidating to take the difficult step in filing a complaint. It can be even worse if the complaint itself results in a worsening work environment. Some people are even terminated from their job for speaking up. No matter what happened on the job, it is imperative for those who have been subjected to illegality at work to know that they have options.
Women allege workplace violations and say they were fired when they complained
An Oregon home manufacturer is being accused of various employment violations. The complaining parties are twin sisters who had been employed there. They worked for the company from 2018 to 2020. According to them, they were subjected to a racist slur, saw symbols related to racism and were physically assaulted. One claims she was sexually harassed. The women are 55 and Black. One worked as a janitor and was responsible for cleaning the restrooms. The other worked as a cleaner for the mobile structures after they were completed. They believe they were targeted because they were frequently the only Black employees in the workplace.
They say there was a hostile work environment because of the racial comments and that a swastika had been drawn in the restroom. This is not the first time that the company has been accused of workplace violations and it admits that there have been incidents in which racial slurs were written in restrooms. After the women told superiors what had occurred, they were terminated from their employment.
Workers do not need to tolerate workplace wrongdoing
In recent years, workers have been more open to complaining about employment law violations. Much of that has stemmed from the #metoo movement advanced on social media. However, that does not mean this type of behavior will stop just because it has garnered greater attention and there is a hashtag. Some workplaces are just as bad if not worse than before. People who have faced any of these behaviors should know that there are ways to lodge a complaint and pursue a claim. From the beginning, it is useful to have advice with how to move forward to hold employers who engaged in this type of behavior accountable.