Recent Arrival Toolkit: Employee Rights in the Workplace

Many employees complain that their employer gives some workers preferential treatment or does not treat all employees equally. The law does not require that all employees be treated equally, only that they may not be treated differently because of their sex, race, religion, national origin, physical or mental handicap or age
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits discriminating against individuals with physical or mental disabilities
The law also prohibits sexual harassment. Supervisors and employees are strictly prohibited from sexually harassing other employees
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Maryland Commission on Human Relations are the federal and state agencies designated to enforce these laws

The National Labor Relations Act guarantees employees the right to self-organization, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, to engage in concerted activities for their mutual aid and protection, or to refrain from any of these activities
The Act imposes certain requirements upon labor organizations that represent workers
An employee who feels that his or her right under this law has been violated may file a charge against the employer or union with the National Labor Relations Board

Both federal and state laws exist that protect workers from unsafe working environments and entitle employees to minimum wages and overtime wages
Complaints for violations of these laws may be filed with Maryland Occupational Safety and Health

Under the Workers’ Compensation laws, all employees are entitled to compensation for lost wages, permanent injuries, and medical costs for accidental injuries incurred during the course of employment