Aug 28, 2021 | Civil Rights Law, Police Misconduct
At some point in your life, you will likely be questioned by the police, whether about something you witnessed or something you are being accused of doing. If you’ve witnessed a car accident or crime of some sort, you should give a statement to the police. But if there is any chance at all that they suspect you of something, it’s important to know your civil rights with regards to answering their questions. If the police believe you have information that they need, they won’t volunteer that information unless they are arresting you and reading your Miranda rights. They often count on people not knowing their rights when in these situations. The main thing to remember is that you have the right to remain silent and the right to have an attorney present, even if you aren’t being arrested.
The police also count on our basic human nature when it comes to answering questions, and in an interrogation room they know all the tricks. Here’s the problem: “When your brain is thinking about the answer to a question, it can’t contemplate anything else.” (“Want To Know What Your Brain Does When It Hears A Question?“, Fast Company) Once someone asks you a question, your brain immediately starts working on the answer whether you want to answer it or not. And our brains can only think about one idea at a time, so the police know that asking questions can mess with our thought processes. So the hard thing is knowing how and when to keep quiet even though your brain is focusing on nothing other than the questions the police are asking you.
The Fourth Amendment
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”
When being questioned by the police, the main thing that protects you is the Constitution, specifically the Fourth Amendment. The police need reasonable suspicion if they are going to stop you, whether you are driving or just walking down the street. If they want to arrest you or search your car, they must have probable cause. If they want to search your home, they need a warrant or exigent circumstances. If they don’t have any of these things, they must get consent and that’s why it’s important to know your rights and keep quiet. For example, just because the police pulled you over doesn’t mean they have the right to search your car so they’re going to try to get your consent. They often make it seem like no big deal and say something like, “Hey, do you mind if we take a quick look in your car?” When you think you haven’t done anything wrong, your defenses are down and you aren’t thinking about protecting yourself. And sometimes they will take the assumptive approach and just tell you that they are going to search your car, knowing that a lot of people will just let them. So remember never to consent to a search even if you are innocent. If they try to give you a hard time about it, just tell them that your lawyer told you to never consent to a search without a warrant.
How to act while being questioned by the police
The main thing to do when being questioned by the police is remain calm and respectful. The police will often try to say or do things to make you angry or even scared because they know that’s when people lose control and end up saying things they shouldn’t. Your actions while angry could also give them probable cause to do a search so do everything you can to remain calm and in control. And definitely resist the urge to argue with them because they are very well trained in that art form and it rarely ends well for you.
Once you are calm, simply ask the officer if you are being detained. If they say no, ask if you are free to leave. If they say you are, then simply walk away. Don’t run or do anything to escalate the situation, and don’t taunt them or respond to their taunts. If the police suspect you of doing something or believe that you have information they want, they will continue to try to get you to react in some way that gives them reason to detain you.
What to do if you are detained
Being detained is not the same as being arrested, but that can still happen so it’s vital to know your rights. If they say you are being detained, ask for how long. They can’t detain you for an unreasonable amount of time without probable cause so this is an important question to ask because it lets them know that you are aware of this right. Once they tell you how long you are being detained, ask them why. Again, you have a right to know why they are detaining you and they must have reasonable suspicion to do so.
Another important thing to remember when being detained is that you also have a right to know the officer’s name and badge number. Most Colorado law enforcement agencies require the officer to give you their business card when requested. In addition, they can’t retaliate in any way just because you asked them for this information.
If you are pulled over and then detained, they will often ask if they can search your car. Ask if they have a search warrant and if they say no, calmly say that you do not consent for them to search your car. Once again, it’s important to be respectful and stay in control so that you don’t give them a reason to do a search. When being detained or even just stopped on the street, many states allow officers to do a pat down to be sure you aren’t carrying any weapons, but any search beyond that requires a warrant, exigent circumstances, or your consent — so don’t give that to them.
While you are detained and being questioned by the police, the main thing to remember is that you have the right to remain silent. Aside from telling the officer your name and possibly your address, you don’t have to answer any other questions. If you are being detained after a traffic stop, you are required to provide insurance and registration in addition to your ID, but you are still not required to answer any other questions like where you are going or what you are doing. However, you do have the right to ask questions so don’t be afraid to ask them why they stopped you, why they are questioning you, and if you have the right to leave.
Many innocent people are in prison simply because they started talking to the police. We wrongly believe that only guilty people stay silent and that the innocent will always try to help by answering questions. In fact, the police will use this against you and often say something like, “If you haven’t done anything wrong then you don’t have anything to fear.” They know it’s in our nature to answer questions, especially if we don’t think there’s any harm in doing so. But if the police have detained you then they already suspect that you are guilty of something so don’t give them any help in that regard. If they arrest you, they will often read you your Miranda rights and remind you of that — but not always — so remember that you still have that right even if you are only being detained. It’s also important to remember than choosing to remain silent does not give them probable cause to do a search. So stay calm and shut up. And if for some reason you do decide to talk, you have the right for an attorney to be present so request that before saying anything.
Were your rights violated while being questioned by the police?
If you believe that your rights were violated then it’s important that you contact a civil rights attorney who is experienced in dealing with the police. We work diligently to ensure police accountability and fight those who violate your civil rights. For a free, no-obligation consultation with the Civil Rights Litigation Group, contact our Denver CO law firm today at (720) 515-6165 or use our online contact form.
Call 720-515-6165
Additional Resources:
What Does the Fourth Amendment Mean? (uscourts.gov)
Know Your Rights (ACLU)
Police misconduct and your civil rights
Police accountability improving in Colorado
Jul 26, 2021 | Civil Rights Law, Employee Rights
While gathering evidence and documentation is necessary for your workplace discrimination case, the first step is often the hardest for most people to take: say something. If you feel you are being discriminated against for any reason, the most important thing is for you to make it officially known to your employer that you feel this way, in writing. Every company has their specific policies, whether it be filing an official report or speaking with a specific person, so if you aren’t sure consult your employee handbook or ask someone in the human resources department to find out what steps you need to take. If you don’t have an HR department and it isn’t specified in your employee handbook, just start with your immediate supervisor. Send an email, a letter, or a fax, however you choose to do it, make sure you complain in writing and make sure that you make it clear you believe you have been discriminated against due to your protected class status.
Workplace discrimination: Make it official
Now, a lot of people are probably wondering why you should let your employer know you feel this way, after all, its probably not the most comfortable conversation you can imagine. But there are many reasons why it is to your advantage to do this. The first reason is that sometimes talking about an issue can help resolve it. It’s possible your employer didn’t realize they (or another employee) were doing something that either made you feel uncomfortable or made you feel you were being treated differently than other employees. If you talk to them about it, they might be willing to address the issue and make things better without getting lawyers involved. This is certainly the easiest and quickest outcome you can hope for and could lead to you enjoying your job again and moving forward.
However, we all know this isn’t always the case so the second reason it’s important to speak up or file an official report is to create a paper trail. Once you file your complaint, any adverse action your employer takes against you after that may count as retaliation, which is illegal. According to the EEOC, “Participating in a complaint process is protected from retaliation under all circumstances.“ Whether it be termination, a demotion, discipline, or even a significant schedule change, it is illegal for them to treat you differently simply because you have raised a complaint. And if these actions do occur, they are great evidence for a discrimination and/or relation lawsuit.
One last thing to consider is that raising a complaint can also help you keep your job longer. Most HR representatives know the laws regarding retaliation, so it is less likely your boss’s boss will approve termination or other adverse employment actions against you once you raise a good-faith complaint. While termination may still be inevitable, this could help bring attention to illegal conduct and provide you and others interested in ensuring an equal opportunity workplace necessary time to gather more evidence.
How do I prove retaliation in workplace discrimination cases?
Once you file your complaint — a protected activity — your employer is not allowed to retaliate against you because of it. However, if you do something wrong, they are still allowed to address that behavior how they normally would (i.e. cutting your pay for being late). “In a case alleging that an employer took a materially adverse action because of protected activity, legal proof of retaliation requires evidence that:
- An individual engaged in prior protected activity
- The employer took a materially adverse action
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Retaliation caused the employer’s action.” (EEOC website)
The last one isn’t easy to prove, but it’s one more reason why you want to make your complaint official, to show a timeline of events. If you are now being punished for something that you and other employees have done in the past without consequence, that can help prove retaliation by helping to show that you are being treated differently than similarly situated others have been treated in the past.
Gathering other evidence for your case
Never forget that the best time to gather evidence on workplace discrimination is while you are still employed. If you happen to get terminated, you still have the right to obtain your employee files (See our previous blog post: You have a right to your personnel files) but that won’t include everything, just official documents like performance reviews, official discipline, or other official actions. So, in addition to filing an official complaint, remember to save anything that could be used to show how you are being treated or patterns in your employer’s behavior. One easy thing to do (so long as you do not violate any company policy) is to blind copy (BCC) your personal email address. This is a great way to have backup copies of any important emails that tend to show discriminations because typically you won’t be able to access your work email account after you are terminated. You can also just forward emails as well. And don’t just keep copies of emails that might show discrimination but also ones where your employer praises you, or ones where other employees thank you for doing something. These can help prove you were a good employee if they suddenly start giving you bad performance reviews or otherwise try to falsely claim that you were a bad employee before you started complaining about discriminations. And if your supervisor gives you cards or notes with praise, save those too. You never know what could end up helping prove your case.
Who can help you fight workplace discrimination?
If you ever feel you are being discriminated against at your job, it’s important to speak to someone as soon as possible. Very often you must file an official complaint before your employer can be made liable and there are important deadlines to filing claims with state or federal agencies. Finding the right civil rights attorney is key. The Civil Rights Litigation Group has successfully handled many workplace discrimination cases over the past 10 years and we are 100% dedicated to civil rights issues. We offer free consultations so you can find out if you have a legitimate case. Please call us at 720-515-6165.
Call 720-515-6165 for a free consultation.
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Additional resources on workplace discrimination:
Questions and Answers: Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation and Related Issues, https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/retaliation-qa.cfm.
Discrimination, Harassment, & Mistreatment, https://cdle.colorado.gov/wage-and-hour-law/termination/discrimination-harassment-mistreatment
Jun 1, 2021 | Employee Rights
Can I be fired for a social media post?
Social media is everywhere, and it’s getting easier to vet frustrations or complaints about work on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc. Unfortunately, employers can monitor (or can easily see) their employees’ social media accounts, and in some cases, a social media blunder can result in an employee’s termination.
The National Labor Relations Board receives thousands of complaints each year from employees who claim they were fired for their social media activity. Often, these employees want to know if it is legal for an employer to fire them over something they said online.
First Amendment rights and at-will employment
Despite employee protections, it’s important to remember that Colorado is an “employment-at-will” state, meaning that neither an employer nor an employee is required to give notice or advance notice of termination or resignation. In other words, an employer can fire an employee for any reason (or for no reason) so long as the firing isn’t discriminatory and based on the employee’s race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender, etc.
Secondly, understand that the First Amendment doesn’t apply to private employers, in many cases. Within limits, the government may dictate what people can or cannot say, but this restriction doesn’t apply to a private company.
Protections for social media posts and content
Despite the employment-at-will status in Colorado, employees have many legal protections that limit an employer’s right to discipline or fire employees for what they post online or on social media. Especially for job-related posts, the National Labor Relations Board instituted strong protections for employees who post statements or comments about their employer, workplace, job, unfair pay, etc. Known as protected concerted activities, the National Labor Relations Act protects employees’ rights to communicate about the terms and conditions of employment. Therefore, if an employee makes a negative post about working conditions, that action may be a protected concerted activity for which the employee cannot be fired.
Other protections for online posts may include:
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Colorado Lawful Off-Duty Conduct / Employee Privacy Law — An employer cannot terminate an employee for the employee’s lawful, off-duty activities. If the employee isn’t “on the clock” and is off the workplace premises, the employer cannot fire him/her as long as their activities were lawful.
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Political Messages Protections — Employers cannot terminate an employee based on their political beliefs or views
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Retaliation — Both state and federal laws protect employees from retaliation for reporting problems in the workplace, such as discrimination, harassment, and unsafe working conditions.
When can I get fired for a social media post?
Your right to free speech doesn’t mean you can say anything you want regarding your workplace. Here are some types of social media posts that may get your terminated:
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Violating company policy or disclosing company information — Some employers may have a social media policy detailing what employees can post on social media. If you violate that policy, they may be able to terminate you. Examples might include posting confidential or proprietary information about the company or posting about something the company has done, such as land a new client, that hasn’t been approved for public release yet.
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Creating a hostile work environment — Everyone has the right to a safe work environment. So, if you post hateful or racist comments about fellow employees, that could get you fired. Making any type of threat against another employee is something else that could land you in the unemployment line.
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Lying about your employer — While there are things you have the right to discuss about your employer online, you still can’t make false or misleading statements about them. Examples might include saying a product is unsafe (when it isn’t) or posting lies about the CEO.
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Posting explicit images — Your company has the right to protect its reputation and image, so there are instances when your employer may be able to fire you for posting obscene images or videos.
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Posting about illegal activity — If you do something illegal, it’s never a good idea to make a social media post about it. Besides the possibility of the police knocking on your door, your posts can also get you fired. Again, a company has the right to protect its image and reputation.
What to do if you were fired over a social media post
If you were terminated because of a social media post or other content, you may want to contact a Colorado civil rights attorney as soon as possible. In some cases, the employer’s action could be wrongful termination. If you were fired over a social media post, call our Denver law firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Call us at 720-515-6165
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Hate speech, the First Amendment and social media posts — what you should know
May 30, 2021 | Discrimination, Employee Rights
No matter what kind of lawsuit you are looking to file, the most important element of your case will always be evidence — do you have any and how strong is it? Regardless of whether you are involved in a discrimination case with your employer or a case against the police, your cell phone is often your best defense. You always have the power to pull it out and start recording conversations or situations if you think something illegal is happening or about to happen. Most of the time, you are within your rights to do so.
The best kind of evidence
Discrimination lawsuits are some of the hardest to win because they often rely on how conduct by an employer is interpreted. Sometimes an employer’s specific language, tone, or comparative actions are key to understanding how something said or done is discriminatory. Context is often key. To prove that something illegal actually took place, you need to have solid evidence that you were treated differently because of your protected class status. And you want that to be clear. The best kind of evidence you can have is video or audio evidence. It’s difficult for someone to deny something or say that it wasn’t meant the way you interpreted it when you have a recording of the activity in context. In a time when pretty much everyone has a portable video camera and audio recorder in their pocket, it has become much easier to prove illegal conduct through records like audio and video evidence.
Recording conversations and the law
Recording conversations legally is pretty easy in Colorado. Colorado recording law stipulates that it is a “one-party consent state.” What that means is that only one party to a communication needs to be aware of a recording in order to lawfully consent to the creation of the recording. In Colorado, it is a criminal offense to use any device to record communications whether it’s wire, oral or electronic without the consent of at least one person taking part in the communication. … “One party consent” means that in Colorado, you are legally allowed to record a conversation you take part in.” (recordinglaw.com) Now, if you are in a situation where you are trying to record other people where you are not involved in the conversation, it’s only legal if they are in a public place — and therefore have no reasonable expectation of privacy — or if you make it known to at least one of the participants that you are recording. Otherwise, it’s considered eavesdropping.
Recording conversations in the workplace
Under many circumstances, the workplace is considered a public place. However, eavesdropping laws are serious business. So we do not recommend recording if you are not a party to the conversation, without consulting a qualified attorney first. However, most conversations you are aware of probably involve you, so most times recording conversations and/or phone calls with your employer (or whoever is discriminating against you), is fair game. Thus, recording your boss at work without him or her knowing is sometimes the best way to legally obtain critical evidence. Circumstances may only practically allow you to get audio evidence with a phone recorder turned on in your pocket or purse, but it still can provide solid evidence and can help your case. If problems are arising during group meetings, and you are part of those meetings, it is also likely legal for you to record those too. Unless your company has legal rules against it, it’s fine in most cases as long as you aren’t planning on doing anything illegal with the recordings, like blackmailing someone or selling company secrets. And if you want to be 100% sure that your recording will be legal, simply start recording and immediately say, “Do you mind if I record this?”
Company policies regarding recording
It is important to be aware of any company policies that may prohibit recording in the workplace. There may be legitimate security or privacy reasons companies prohibit recording in certain areas. Violating legitimate company policies could inadvertently place you in hot water. However, some company policies that prohibit recording may be illegal and/or unenforceable. In 2015, for example, “the National Labor Relations Board ruled that blanket no-recording policies by employers violate workers’ right to engage in ‘concerted activity’ about the terms of their employment.” You should consult an attorney to help navigate nuances in this area.
What to do next?
If you feel you are being discriminated against at your job, it is important to gather and save evidence that can make a difference. That can often involve audio or video recordings. After that, you need to find an attorney who is experienced in fighting workplace discrimination. Call the Civil Rights Litigation Group at 720-515-6165, or use our online contact form, to schedule your free consultation with us today. We’ll aggressively fight in court and make sure your rights are protected and you are treated fairly.
Call 720-515-6165
Apr 26, 2021 | Civil Rights Law, Employee Rights
Despite the passage of the federal Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, pay disparities continue to exist for women, especially women of color. Studies show that women typically earn 86 cents for every earned by a man, with Black women earning 63 cents and Hispanic women earning only 53 cents for every dollar earned by a white man. To help close the pay gap, the Colorado Legislature passed the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEWA), which went into effect on January 1, 2021. The intent of the act is to help “… close the pay gap in Colorado and ensure that employees with similar job duties are paid the same wage rate regardless of sex, or sex plus another protected status.”
The EPEWA applies to all public and private employers in Colorado, regardless of how many employees they have.
What does the Equal Pay Act do?
Aside from requiring employers to give their female employees equal pay, the act also gives employees more rights with regards to their compensation:
- Employers can’t prohibit employees from discussing compensation or punish them for doing so.
- Employers can’t ask about a job candidate’s wage history and/or use that wage history to determine an employee’s salary.
- Employers will have to make reasonable efforts to “announce, post, or make known all opportunities for promotion” to all current employees on the same calendar day.
- All job postings must contain salary and benefits information.
- Employers must keep records of job descriptions and wage history for each employee while employed and for two years after termination.
Employers are now prohibited from requiring employees to disclose their wage history and/or using that to determine their compensation. This will give women more opportunities to increase their pay by eliminating the cycle of moving from one low-paying job to another. Also, allowing employees to discuss compensation without retaliation removes the veil of secrecy that often hides male employees receiving higher pay for similar jobs. Basically, it increases transparency and equality.
Exceptions to the Equal Pay Act
While employees are protected against any sex-based pay discrimination for work requiring similar skill, effort and responsibility, the law does permit pay differences arising from:
- A seniority system
- A merit system
- A system that measures earnings by quantity or quality of production
- The geographic location where the work is performed
- Education, training, or experience reasonably related to the work
- Travel that is a regular and necessary condition of the job
However, the law also states that employers must prove that they “reasonably” relied on any of these exceptions they use when determining salary. If an employer is going to pay a male employee more because he has more education, they have to prove that the additional education makes a difference in job performance.
How the Equal Pay Act helps your claim
One of the main things the Equal Pay Act does is require employers to keep records of all job descriptions and wage histories for the duration of each employee’s employment, and for at least two years after that. This includes hourly rate or salary range, plus all benefits and other compensation offered to the employee. Failure by the employer to maintain these records creates a rebuttable presumption that the records not maintained contained information favorable to the employee’s claim in a lawsuit.
The EPEWA also provides a right of action that allows employees to sue for up to three years of backpay for unlawful pay disparities. Employees may also receive additional damages if an employer is shown not to have acted in “good faith” when determining compensation. Finally, employees can sue for attorney fees, reinstatement, promotions, pay increases, and other legal relief.
What can you do if you believe you have been unfairly paid?
If you feel you have been the victim of pay discrimination, you need to act quickly because there is a two-year window (after you leave your job) when you can file a claim. Beyond that, compile all your employment records, including reviews and pay history. If you don’t have these records, you have the right to request them from your employer (see our post: You have a right to your personnel files).
After that, you need to find an attorney who is experienced in fighting workplace discrimination. Call the Civil Rights Litigation Group at 720-515-6165, or use our online contact form, to schedule your free consultation with us today. We’ll aggressively fight for you in court and make sure your rights are protected and you are treated fairly.
