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COVID-19 Employment Discrimination Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law on
Q: I have been asked to sign a form at work regarding the fact I have declined my covid vaccine and so I won’t get sick pay

I have been asked to sign a form at work regarding the fact I have declined my covid vaccine and this therefore means I may not receive sick pay if I contract covid along with some other statements I need to agree to, and I don’t know what my rights are if I don’t sign it

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Mar 3, 2021

Since there is no federal law that mandates paid sick time or any other form of paid time off, your employer may limit or condition your receipt of sick pay it does offer. Your employer's above condition on sick pay is lawful.

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law and Employment Discrimination for Florida on
Q: Should i get paid for working myself and another assistants job?

Got hired on into a 3 assistant position. After Covid, was down to myself and 1 other assistant. This assistant would call out/quit/not show up 2-3 times out of the week on a weekly basis. This would leave me alone to hold up the entire Office and all the patients by myself. First asked owner of... View More

Terrence H Thorgaard
Terrence H Thorgaard
answered on Feb 23, 2021

No, it's apparently not discrimination on the basis of race, sex, or other suspect classification. Other than that kind of discrimination, an employer can employ, or not employ, whoever the employer wants. And no, they don't have to pay you for, in effect, working multiple jobs at once.

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for North Carolina on
Q: Can I sue for an employer giving me grief and writing me up due to school schedule issues caused by COVID?

I am being constantly harrassed by my employer due to the fact that I have kids, and the current school schedule has caused me to be late. I have also requested the same schedule that has been allowed for another employee, but was denied the same curtesy.

Ina Shtukar
Ina Shtukar
answered on Feb 13, 2021

Are you a member of a protected class? Based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability? If you are a female and your coworker is a male individual, you could have a potential claim for discrimination. Similarly, if you are an African American and your coworker is white, you may... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for North Dakota on
Q: How do I handle harrassment in the work place when it is not considered discrimination?

I am a white, single, gay female. I have no reason to be discriminated against (my employers don't care about me being gay). But that doesn't change the fact that they have been singling me out, holding me to different standards compared to my co workers. I've reported multiple... View More

Carrie Dyer
Carrie Dyer
answered on Jan 27, 2021

There is not a lot you can do about verbal harassment that is not based upon your membership in a protected class, aside from reporting it to your supervisor and Human Resources. However, if you are experiencing lasting health complications as a result of COVID, you may be eligible for... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination, Employment Law and Personal Injury for Illinois on
Q: Belleville, Il. 62221 of St. Clair County. Question: Will get paid comp from missing 4 days of work (Covid 19)

In regards to being paid by worker's comp.

Charles Candiano
Charles Candiano
answered on Jan 24, 2021

If you contracted Covid-19 as a front-line worker, you enjoy a rebuttable presumption that it was work-related. Once that is proven, it is the same as any other Workers' Compensation claim. In Illinois, an injured worker is not compensated for the first three days that they must be off work... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for Oregon on
Q: What grounds does an employer have to force you to quit while on medical leave

I was fired well forced to quit while on medical leave and told to get a COVID test before returning this is after i had my hours cut due to making a report of sexual harrassment

Carrie Dyer
Carrie Dyer
answered on Jan 20, 2021

More information is needed to analyze your situation. Was your medical leave COVID-related? Does your employer have less than 500 employees? Did the forced resignation occur prior to December 31, 2020? If the answer to these questions is yes, then you may be entitled to protection under the... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Employment Discrimination, Employment Law and Personal Injury for California on
Q: Can I get fired for contracting Covid -19? Does my employer have the right to refuse me hours since I became ill?

I work for a small business of less than 10 employees. I contracted covid over a month and a half ago. Initially my employer told me to take two weeks off, then told me to take the rest of December off and they would schedule me for more hours in January. Then Jan came and they told me they... View More

Neil Pedersen
Neil Pedersen
answered on Jan 14, 2021

No one here can know if you are going to be fired. As to what your options could be, it would be important to know if you work for an employer that has at least 5 employees. If not, there is little you can do. If yes, then you are protected by the Fair Employment and Housing Act, which may give... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for Tennessee on
Q: Can a public or private employer require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jan 13, 2021

Generally, the answer to this question is yes. However, if you have a medical condition that prohibits you from receiving the vaccine or if you have a religious objection to receiving the vaccine, you may be entitled to request an accommodation in the form of exemption from mandatory vaccination... View More

3 Answers | Asked in Civil Litigation, Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for Kansas on
Q: Employment and Covid related laws in the state of Missouri

It was within my 90 days probationary so I’m probably screwed but there was a number of days that I was out due to either quarantine order and childcare being closed due to Covid and I am I was told the entire time that nothing Covid related would count against me I was reassured and then they... View More

Kyle Anderson
Kyle Anderson
answered on Dec 31, 2020

Does your employer have less than 500 employees? The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires employers with less than 500 employees to provide to all employees two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at the employee’s regular rate of pay where the employee is unable to work because... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for Texas on
Q: Employer let me go after telling me to quarantine and test. Results were negative and let go day 13 of 14 quarantine.

I was informed I had been exposed to the virus. When I told employer they said go home and quarantine immediately for two weeks and get tested. After receiving negative results I contacted immediate supervisor via text. After no response I contacted the owners wife via text stating when I would be... View More

Carrie Dyer
Carrie Dyer
answered on Dec 30, 2020

It sounds like your employer may have violated the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Subject to some exceptions, employers with less than 500 employees are required to make 80 hours of paid sick leave available for full-time employees, and the equivalent... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for California on
Q: how long do i have to wait to receive my last paycheck after my boss verbally tells me to not come back to work anymore?

My boss thinks that i am involved in the theft of a company truck, which, of course, i am not. He has openly accused me and verbally threatened me with violence in front of other employees until finally telling me not to come back to work. The theft occurred about a week before i was told to not... View More

Neil Pedersen
Neil Pedersen
answered on Dec 20, 2020

If you work for a non-governmental employer in California, you are to be given you final wages on the day you are terminated. If your employer willfully refuses to provide you final wages on that day, you are entitled to Waiting Time Penalties equal to on day of pay for each day you are made to... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law and Employment Discrimination for Michigan on
Q: Does my employer have to pay me holiday pay if I'm on leave under FFCRA?

I'm currently on leave under the FFCRA or expanded FLMA. Labor day fell during my leave and my employer is refusing to pay me for it and won't explain why. All I've been told is that they have less than 50 employees so they didn't have to participate in offering FMLA, and I... View More

Kyle Anderson
Kyle Anderson
answered on Sep 23, 2020

Hi. Under the FFCRA, an employer with fewer than 500 employees is required to offer up to two weeks (80 hours) of paid sick leave at the employee's regular rate of pay if you are quarantined, or, at two-thirds your regular rate of pay if you are unable to work to care for a child whose school... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Employment Discrimination, Employment Law and White Collar Crime for California on
Q: Is this harassment to be quarantined by employer that is assuming another company has covid without symptoms or results.

I was working with contractors and a company man came out screaming for everyone to wear masks, as I was working and wearing a mask he saw mine was below my nose. As was his mask. As I pointed out his was below his nose, he sped off angry. Went to higher up and I’m now subject to quarantine... View More

Neil Pedersen
Neil Pedersen
answered on Aug 5, 2020

There is nothing wrong with a contracting partner of your employer complaining about you not wearing a mask properly, even if the complainer was doing the same. There is also nothing unlawful about your employer sending you home because of this complaint. The company your company is working for... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law and Employment Discrimination for New York on
Q: Laid off due to COVID & now the company is rehiring.

Hello! I was furloughed from my employer in March. There was no communication during this process or news from my director. Eventually they have brought almost all employees back & I was told they don’t have much info on when I will be allowed back. A week later I was sent an automated email... View More

V. Jonas Urba
V. Jonas Urba
answered on Aug 4, 2020

Many feel your frustration. Not to make excuses but employers are dealing with a new set of circumstances every day. Some are closing for good.

I assume that you received unemployment benefits. Those require you to look for work. Also every employment discrimination complaint requires...
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2 Answers | Asked in Antitrust, Business Formation, Business Law and Employment Discrimination for California on
Q: Is it legal in CA to start a business that is competitive with a former employer?
Maurice Mandel II
Maurice Mandel II
answered on Jul 28, 2020

It depends on whether you signed any trade secret agreements in your former employment. They could use that to claim you were using confidential information to contact your former clients, whether it is true or not. There is no legal prohibition against competing against a former employer using... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination for New York on
Q: I’m PerDiem employee. I emailed my boss saying I can no longer work Sundays. I’m Christian. She said no. She can do this

Can I say for religious reasons ? Church is very important to me. It wasn’t a problem before. I didn’t work Sundays in the beginning - I only worked Sundays now because of Covid. Church was closed. But now it’s going to open.

J.R.  Skrabanek
J.R. Skrabanek pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jul 27, 2020

Your employer is within its rights to not exempt you from having to work on Sundays so long as the employer does not provide preferential treatment to other co-workers of different faiths. If, for example, the employer gives other non-Christian employees one day off each week for their own... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for Illinois on
Q: I was furloughed because of COVID-19 for my wife’s medical condition when I asked to return when all other employees

Come back in August from my department of which I was a salary manager they said yes but are taking my salary and manager title from me. But I have never had any type of verbal warning, written warning there should not be one thing in my employment file that would warrant or constitute them from... View More

George W. Svoboda
George W. Svoboda
answered on Jul 23, 2020

I'm sorry for your situation. It's not clear what type of discrimination you are claiming here. You may be able to claim family responsibilities discrimination, otherwise known as caregiver discrimination. You would need to show that the employer reduced your pay and position, because of... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for California on
Q: Can my boss refuse to let me work from home to balance caretaking for a sick parent and also being aware of the pandemic

I have been working for a company w/ 2 employees for 10 months part-time. This company was considered an essential business during quarantine, so even though my boss told me to come in to work during March-June, I requested to work from home. I got an OK eventually, though afterwards I learned she... View More

Maurice Mandel II
Maurice Mandel II
answered on Jul 16, 2020

The first problem is that the protections against discrimination fall upon employers of 5 or more people. Otherwise you may be covered by the CFRA- Cal. Family Rights Act- google it. Even if you are not subject to the specific benefits of the act, your employer cannot discriminate against you if... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law, Civil Rights, Employment Discrimination and Libel & Slander for Michigan on
Q: i am FTM transgender. Is there something i can do about my general manager discriminating against me to co workers?

i am 25, and FTM transgender. I lost my job beginning of March due to the sudden outbreaks of the virus, i was talking with a former co worker about possibly getting my job back, he said he would ask the manager, i was then informed my General Manager is being discriminating & slanderous... View More

Jeff Herron
Jeff Herron
answered on Jul 8, 2020

In late June, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit (which covers Michigan), holding generally that discrimination (and by extension harassment) against transgender individuals because of their status or gender nonconformity is... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for California on
Q: Can I sue my employer if they wont let me return to work due to covid.

I have a doctors note saying I can return to work after having covid for 2 weeks. My employer is making it very difficult to come back to work. Can I sue my employer if they refuse to let me back at work?

Neil Pedersen
Neil Pedersen
answered on Jul 3, 2020

The answer to your question depends on many things, most importantly, the reason why you are not being allowed to return. If business conditions have changed and your job has been eliminated or some other legitimate business reason can be proved for not bringing you back other than the fact you... View More

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