Can the Boss Do That?  Ask a Lawyer – For Free

Working America Web Service Explains Workplace Rights:

It may not always feel like it, but you do actually have some legal rights and protections on the job.  Now Working America, the community affiliate of the AFL-CIO, is offering “Ask a Lawyer” - a free online service to help workers understand their rights and determine whether the boss can do that – or not.

The 1.6 million-member Working America – the country’s fastest-growing progressive organization - offers some of the benefits of union membership to workers who don’t have a union on the job. One of these is access to a network of lawyers nationwide who will provide a free, half-hour consultation on a workplace issue, either in person or on the phone.

Now, Working America is also offering Ask-a-Lawyer, an online way to learn about your rights in the workplace.  You can read answers from lawyers, browse topics and send us any question that relates to your job, from “Can I get fired for something I put on my blog?” (Probably, unless you are writing about politics) to “Can I get fired for being a smoker even if I don’t smoke at work?” – (Yes, in 21 states.)  Although Working America cannot provide specific legal advice or tell you what to do, when you send in your questions about overtime, workers compensation, discrimination and pay and benefits, you will get information from a trusted source to help you better understand your rights on the job.

No identifying information – like your boss’s name – is required to ask a question, and none appears on the site.  Instead, questions are reworded to ensure anonymity and the requested information appears on Working America’s site as the “question of the day.”

“Having a union is the best way to ensure your rights on the job are protected, but not everyone is lucky enough to work in a place with union representation,” said Karen Nussbaum, director of Working America.  “For workers who don’t have unions, knowing your rights is the only way to ensure that the business you work hard for every day is treating you fairly in return.”