Q: Is it unlawful for an employer to provide a false reason for placing an employee on administrative leave?
On March 16th, I was informed that members on my team have been laid-off/furloughed due to the epidemic. On March 19th, using my employers Ethics and Compliance Reporting Hotline, I submitted a report of racial discrimination for an issue that had been occurring for several months. The next day, March 20th, I was placed on "Administrative Leave > Layoff Epidemic, Reason - Epidemic" until June 30th. I am the only team member who is on Administrative Leave. I understand that an employer can legally place an employee on Administrative Leave if they are under investigation. However, it has been eleven days since I was placed on Administrative Leave and my employer has not contacted me regarding an investigation process or my compensation throughout the suspension.
A: It's not entirely clear what the substantive difference between being on administrative leave and laid off/furloughed would be in this situation. Also, if the entire building was laid off prior to the complaint (or leave request?) being made, it might be difficult to establish a case of retaliation. Perhaps there are more facts not given here that would be helpful for a lawyer to evaluate the legal situation- such as the nature of the pre-layoff racial discrimination and any damages that might have been sustained as a result.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
