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Tennessee Employee Rights


In addition to federal rights and protections as well as mandated benefits, the state of Tennessee also offers some Tennessee employee rights for workers in the workplace.  Tennessee employee rights include the fair payment of wages, promised benefits, worker compensation, protections from harassment and discrimination and adherence to employment contacts.  These rights are not absolute and some employers are exempted based on size or jurisdiction.  Only though the advice of an attorney can you determine with certainty the TN employee rights applicable to your situation and the best course of action you can take against an employer.

TN employee rights against discrimination

As is the case with federal mandates, the state mandates that all have the right to employment regardless of sex, race, ethnic origin, age or color.  Discrimination against workers can range from hiring to termination, wage docking, separating and singling out workers and other actions in the workspace based only on those factors.  When there is discrimination in the workplace, the employee has civil remedies against the employer.  Tennessee state law does not require religious institutions to follow the same discrimination rules.

Breaks and TN employee rights

Lunch or other periodic breaks are not mandated by federal law, but Tennessee employee rights mandate at least a 30 minute, unpaid break for employees that work six or more consecutive hours.

TN employee rights to family leave

The Family Medical and Leave Act is a federal mandate that requires employers with more than fifty employees to grant leave to those that adopt or have new children in the family, have had a close loved one die, or to take care of a sick close relative.  The Tennessee employee rights directly correlate to these mandates and might offer supplemental benefits.  Military deployment of a loved one is also covered.  Any leave need not be paid, but is job protected with promised restoration to the same position after returning from leave.

Tennessee employee right to worker compensation

TN employee rights ensure that those that are injured on the job are entitled to no-fault worker’s compensation insurance coverage, which includes compensation for medical expenses.  Not all employers are covered by those Tennessee employee rights that are and refuse to payout on the claim and be taken to civil court to resolve the matter of non-payments of benefits.

Tennessee employee right to privacy

There is no explicit Tennessee employee right to privacy in the workplace, especially when using company property.  Tennessee employers are likely allowed to monitor internet usage, search computer files and otherwise demand that materials belonging to the employer be turned over for inspection.

Drug testing and Tennessee employee right

New applicants can be screened for drug testing as long as they have already been offered the job, holds the same standard for all other new employees and the applicant is aware of the testing policy in advance.  To protect the Tennessee employee right, a certified laboratory will conduct the testing accordingly.  There is a narrower range of Tennessee employee right when testing current employees and there are some applicable Tennessee employee rights.  Tennessee employee rights do not ban the singling out and testing of employees as long as there is a good reason for concern that their job performance might be affected.  The tested employee can sue for a violation of TN employee rights if the test is unwarranted or unreasonably applied to them.

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