What is the Law Regarding Employment in Bellingham?
The body of laws in Bellingham regulating employees, their employees, and independent contractors is known as employment law. This area of law governs such employment issues as hiring procedures, wage amounts, and termination. Employers and their employees alike should be aware of Bellingham employment laws.
"At-Will" vs. Contract Employment Terms
Occasionally an employment contract is used that sets a particular length of employment, but most of the times employment is considered to be on an "at-will" basis. "At-will" employment implies that either the employer or employee can end the job at any time for any reason, so long as it is not illegal to do so In the instance that the employer and employee have an employment contract, laws from both the state and federal government will apply to the city of Bellingham
Anti-Discrimination laws in Bellingham
Bellingham citizens must abide by laws which make discrimination illegal at all phases of employment, including hiring employees, wage disputes, and terminating procedures. Bellingham residents must follow laws which prohibit employer discrimination against members of different classes. These classes include age, gender, race, religion, disability, and national origin.
Discrimination claims can typically be heard in front of an administrative agency such as the EEOC. Some attorneys specialize in the field of discrimination claims.