What to do if your employer fires you or retaliates against you while you are on L&I

Your employer may not fire you or retaliate against you for filing claim of injury, saying that you might file a claim or for seeking all the workers’ compensation benefits to which you are entitled. This is discrimination and it is illegal in the state of Washington. If you are terminated or the conditions of your work are changed while receiving L&I benefits, you should be suspicious that you may be a victim of discrimination.The types of employer actions that might be considered retaliation or discrimination include: being fired or laid off, being demoted or assigned to an undesirable shift, being denied a promotion or having your wages or benefits reduced. While your employer may have non-discriminatory reasons firing you, you should consult with an attorney who is experienced in handling discrimination claims.If you are terminated or retaliated against while you have an open claim, you should keep documentation of all the evidence related to your injury and to your employment. If you are fired, you may request that your employer put in writing the reason why you were fired. The employer must respond within 10 days of your request.While your employer may have a non-discriminatory reason for firing you, if you do suspect discrimination, or retaliation because of your work related injury claim you should consult with an experienced attorney.