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TheTrustCorp.org — Legal Rights & Filing Hub

Wage & Hour (FLSA)

Pay, overtime, breaks, and promised-bonus rules.

Hover for quick facts • Click to open

Plain English

Overtime rules, minimum wage, timekeeping, breaks, and that promised bonuses count as pay.

Common Misunderstandings

OT is weekly, not daily.
Salaried ≠ automatically exempt.
Promised pay can’t be shifted to another week.
Short breaks ≤20 min are paid; 30 min unpaid only if duty-free.

Facts & Gotchas

Regular rate includes bonuses & differentials.
Off-the-clock work is still paid.
Rounding must average fairly.
Training & inter-facility travel often count as paid time.

Examples of Violations

Auto-deducted lunches; denied weekend differential; asked to "help out" after clock-out.

What You’ll Need to File

Pay stubs
Timecards
Promised-pay messages (email/text)
Witness list

Follow-Up & Next Steps

Expect DOL contact in ~30–90 days for typical investigations. Keep copies of your filings and request a case number.

Pro Tips

Consider filing with both DOL & your state labor department for faster local resolution. Use documented promised-pay messages verbatim in complaints.

Route	When to Use	Link
DOL — Wage & Hour Division	Underpayment, overtime	DOL Complaint Form
State Labor Dept	Local wage issues	State-specific link
Police / DA	Criminal wage theft	Local financial crimes
Private Attorney	Willful / large cases	Find a lawyer

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Cross-links

Discrimination & Harassment (EEOC)

Protected classes, documentation, and filing windows.

180/300 day windows • Hover to preview

Plain English

Covers Title VII, ADA, ADEA, and related protections — what counts as unlawful discrimination or harassment.

Common Misunderstandings

Harassment need not be both severe and repeated — can be either.
Retaliation after complaining is itself illegal.
Equal discipline across groups may still be illegal depending on context.

Facts & Gotchas

180-day (or 300-day) filing window depending on state.
Supervisor harassment raises employer liability.
Document with dates, quotes, and witnesses.

Examples

Pregnancy bias, racial jokes, denial of reasonable accommodation.

Where to File

EEOC or your state human-rights agency.

Retaliation & Whistleblower Protections

Protections after reporting; what counts as retaliation.

Includes schedule cuts, exclusion — not only firing

Plain English

Defines retaliation and who enforces protections. Protection can apply even if the underlying claim isn't proven.

Common Misunderstandings

Retaliation isn't only firing — it can be schedule cuts, demotion, exclusion.
File both the base claim and the retaliation claim.

Facts & Gotchas

30–180 day windows vary by agency. HR cannot legally gag employees from reporting certain offenses.

Cross-links

/legal/wage-hour, /legal/eeoc, /legalsupport

Wrongful Termination & At-Will Employment

When at-will has exceptions and what to do after a firing.

Constructive discharge, personnel file requests

Plain English

Explains legal vs. illegal terminations and exceptions to at-will employment.

Facts & Gotchas

At-will has exceptions (retaliation, discrimination, whistleblowing).
Constructive discharge = forced resignation due to hostile conditions.
Request your personnel file where permitted.

Filing

Depends on the reason — EEOC, DOL, OSHA, state board, or an attorney might be the right route.

Workplace Safety (OSHA)

Right to a safe workplace & how to file hazards.

File to OSHA directly • Retaliation protections

Plain English

Right to a safe environment; how OSHA handles hazards and inspections.

Facts & Gotchas

Direct OSHA filing without employer notice is allowed.
Retaliation for injury reporting is illegal.
Keep photos & notes as evidence.

File Link

OSHA Complaint Form

Leave Rights (FMLA / ADA / Pregnancy)

Protected medical & family leave, accommodations, and rights.

FMLA job protection • ADA accommodations

Plain English

Explains protected medical & family leave and reasonable accommodations.

Facts & Gotchas

FMLA is unpaid but job-protected.
Attendance policies can’t count FMLA absences against employees.
ADA accommodations may include modified duties.
Pregnancy accommodations now federally protected.

Unions & Collective Action (NLRA)

Right to discuss pay & organize; what employer rules may violate NLRA.

Pay discussion rights • NLRB remedies

Plain English

Right to discuss pay, organize, and engage in protected concerted activities.

Facts & Gotchas

Non-union staff are still covered by NLRA protections for concerted activities.
Overbroad no-talking-about-pay policies could violate law.
NLRB can order reinstatement + back pay quickly in many cases.

Documentation & Filing Help

Templates, sample wording, and secure backup reminders.

Templates & sample emails • Downloadable

Purpose

Show users how to prepare cases — templates, incident logs, complaint summaries, and sample wording.

Includes

Incident Log (downloadable)
Complaint Summary
Sample initial complaint email wording
Reminder: back up notes off work devices

Reporting Agencies & Contact Links

Directory and interactive state lookup (basic MVP).

Select state to load DOL, EEOC, OSHA & AG links.

Interactive State Lookup (MVP)

Select your state to auto-load federal + state agency links and common filing portals.

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