Guide to Medical Labor Laws

Image source: www.californialegal.org
In the U.S., employment discrimination occurs whenever an employer or its representatives adversely single out employees or applicants on the basis of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion and a variety of other reasons.

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), employers can’t discriminate against you in any aspect of employment, such as:
 Hiring and firing
 Compensation, assignment, or classification of employees
 Transfer, promotion, layoff, or recall
 Job advertisements
 Recruitment
 Testing
 Use of company facilities
 Training and apprenticeship programs
 Fringe benefits
 Pay, retirement plans, and disability leave

But to be “illegal” discrimination, your employer must be in violation of a specific state or Federal law (statute), regulation or constitutional provision. Otherwise, you are not generally protected from discrimination, however unfair or unethical it may seem.

For example, if your boss is much harder on you than anyone else for no apparent reason, while it might be unethical behavior for a boss, it’s not discrimination by law. But if he or she is extra hard on you for a reason that’s protected by law, such as your religion, age or sex, then its illegal discrimination, especially if you suffer damage such as getting passed over for a well-deserved raise or promotion.

March is national social work month, the time of the year when we honor medical social workers. These compassionate individuals contribute in no small way to the efficient delivery of medical services to home care, hospice care and hospitals and other medical institutions throughout the year.

This month serves as a perfect opportunity for medical social workers to be recognized for their hard work. They work in close coordination with doctors, nurses, therapists and other allied medical professionals to lessen the burden of illness on patients and their families.

I salute medical social workers for their hard work and generosity of spirit. It is no easy feat to handle other people’s burden when you also have to deal with your own.