Many federal, state and local laws govern the relationship between employers and employees. The following is a summary of some of the laws that may impact your employment relationship.
Employment Contracts
If you are working for your employer under an oral agreement for an indefinite period of time, you are working under an "at will employment" arrangement. As an at will employee, you may terminate your employment at anytime. Likewise, your employer may fire you at any time provided that the reason for your termination is not discriminatory or otherwise prohibited by law. If you do have a written contract for a specific length of employment, you or your employer may still terminate your employment agreement if, for example, one party has violated a material provision of the agreement and/or the arrangement provides for termination in the event of certain enumerated circumstances.
Retaliation by Employers
Regardless of whether you have a written or oral employment contract, your employer cannot legally terminate you in retaliation for your decision to (1) disclose or threaten to disclose, to any appropriate governmental agency, under oath and in writing, conduct of your employer that violates the law, provided that you have first, in writing, brought such conduct to the attention of a supervisor or your employer a reasonable opportunity to correct the conduct, (2) provide information to or testify before a government agency investigating your employer for violations of the law or (3) object to or refuse to participate in a activity, policy or practice of your employer that violates the law.
Discrimination By Employers
Many federal and state laws govern employment discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, marital status, age, sex or disabilities. Brief summaries of a few of these laws are set forth below.
Federal Discrimination Laws
The most well known employment law is Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which governs all private employers with 15 or more employees. Title VII prohibits discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Similarly, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to employers with 20 or more employees. The ADEA protects employees that are 40 years old or more, and prohibits treating such employees differently than another employee that is younger than 40 or one who is also 40 or over. The ADEA also prohibits employers for advertising for new employees in manner that discriminates or indicates a preference for employees of a certain age. The Act also prohibits mandatory retirement except in very limited circumstances. The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to employers with 15 or more employees. The ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals that have a disability. The Equal Pay Act requires employers to pay male and female employees the same wage for equal work.
Florida Discrimination Laws
Florida's Civil Rights Act of 1992 is similar to many of the above mentioned federal laws and applies to all employers with 15 or more employees. The Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, handicap, age and marital status. Florida's Equal Pay Statute is much like the federal Equal Pay Act, except that it only applies to employers who are not already covered by the federal Equal Pay Act.
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