What actually counts as "adverse action"?
"Adverse action" and "general protections" describe the same legal claim, just from two different angles, adverse action is the conduct, general protections is the broader legal framework it sits inside. Understanding what counts as adverse action is the first step to knowing whether you have a claim.
Adverse action generally includes
- Dismissing you.
- Demoting you, or changing your role for the worse.
- Cutting your hours, pay, or duties.
- Treating you differently to your disadvantage in any other real way.
What makes it unlawful is the reason behind it: if it happened because you exercised a workplace right (complained, took leave, asked about pay, joined a union), that's when adverse action becomes a general protections claim. Tell us what happened and what you'd done shortly before, and we'll help you work out if it fits.
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