People leave their jobs for a myriad of reasons, but in many cases, the primary reason is to move on to a better employer. On the global scale, 41% of workers have already contemplated or taken proactive steps to leave their current jobs for another that provides fulfillment. Whether you leave your job or were laid off, there are some rights you are still entitled to with your former employer until the needful is done. Below are a few examples.
- Payment of outstanding wages, claims, and compensations
Whether you resigned from the job or were a victim of redundancy, your employer is responsible for fulfilling all outstanding payments due to you. This includes your last salary for the month, severance package, and any unresolved injury claims or compensation. Especially regarding injury claims, it will be necessary to seek an experienced attorney in your specific case.
Assuming you got involved in an accident while driving a company vehicle that failed to meet routine maintenance checks, you have a valid injury claim case. If that is the situation you are facing, it would be advisable to get a car accident lawyer to lead the legal process. You have a higher chance of getting any outstanding injury claims paid quicker when you seek a lawyer. While at it, your annual vacation pay, overtime, and statutory holiday pay that may have been withheld are other payments you are entitled to.
If your employer terminated you on misconduct grounds or other serious reasons, the company lawyer may argue in favor of withholding all outstanding payments owed to you. According to the law, it is up to you and your legal team to fight back for what you deserve. Standard employment law states that all outstanding wages owed an employee should be paid no more than six days of the final exit day.
- Unemployment insurance
In the period when you are without a job after exiting, you have a right to apply for unemployment insurance. It is a support system that provides financial security for people without jobs. While the monthly allowance may be lower than what you received as your salary during your last employment, it can be better than not having anything at all. With that said, the period within which you can receive unemployment insurance may range from 26 weeks up to 99 weeks. However, it can be a longer period depending on your peculiar circumstances. There is a condition to unemployment insurance. You are only entitled to it when you lose your employment through no fault of yours. In this case, redundancy may be the right reason to apply immediately.
- Right to ask for your pension benefits
If you signed up for a 401(K) or became a part of an employee retirement scheme, you certainly have the right to claim your benefits. Sometimes, this can be paid as a lump sum when you leave the job. If the arrangement was a defined benefit plan, you might have to wait until retirement age to start receiving the funds.
