Earlier this year, Ontario news reported some companies has broken the new labour law of employee wages. It was stated that the province’s minimum wage increased on January 1 and set to rise again. However, there are some businesses that reported to cut paid breaks for their employees. Labour Minister, Kevin Flynn told the news, “It is the act of bullies that has no place in this province. I hope that businesses that have acted in this manner decide on sober second thought to reverse the decisions they’ve made.”
Staying with an employer who constantly breaks labour law can be frustrating. Not only will it decrease your productivity, but a toxic environment can also threaten your wellbeing which might lead to stress – and we know that stress is the core of all problems and sickness.
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Therefore, when you witness harmful and illegal activities done by employer, it is suggested for you to take action by reporting them to a legal entity such as human resource department or department of labour (DOL). However, before reporting, make sure you understand the types of employee rights that are violated. Here are common employment issues that are often overlooked by employers.
In each country, under labour statement of Employment Act, wage and compensation in any form have been stated clearly. Rules pertaining to federal minimum wage, overtime, length of the workweek and child labour might come with hefty fines and prison sentences for particularly egregious violations. For employees who find that their wage is not paid normally under each labour statement law, they can report to DOL.
Employee layoffs are sometimes inevitable in any organisation. Mass termination can also happen due to company restructure or financial crisis. However, there are a number of conditions where termination is illegal. The conditions include termination based on ethnicity, religion, race, or other disciplinary reasons that are considered wrongful doing. This kind of termination might let employers have a significant jury judgment.
According to MOM Singapore, employers have a responsibility to provide safety and health at work. Violating this rule can result in severe consequences.
There are more employment rights that cannot be covered one by one such as discrimination, leave, retaliation, etc. But you can still file if there is proof in any form that your employer violates your right as an employee.
Note: to know more about your employment rights, please read Workright e-book
After understanding the employment law, you can take action by reporting your employer to the legal department to take further action so the violation won’t occur again. You need to believe that the report will not only help you personally but also the entire team and for employers themselves to reevaluate their performance at work.
In any form of complaint, it is vital to always provide solid proof. After that, you should take a look at your company’s policy to see whether what you have witnessed is covered by company policy or not. If it is proven that what happens belongs to illegal doing, you can report to your human resource department first before reporting it to DOL. However, if the HR department seems to not taking your file seriously, you can contact the DOL directly.
To report to DOL, you can either email them or go directly to the website (Singapore DOL). Before reporting, you need to prepare these documents:
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