FREE CASE CONSULTATION
đź“ž
319-409-6575

How Quitting Your Job Can Destroy Your Iowa Employment Claim

Back to Articles

Posted by Laura Schultes

If you are being harassed or discriminated against in the workplace in Iowa, it can be difficult to keep going into work each day. You may believe the best way to get the discrimination or harassment to stop is to quit your job.

However, if you are thinking of filing an employment law claim against your employer for unlawful harassment, quitting your job can have significant negative consequences for your case.

There are several reasons why quitting your job can damage your possible claim against your employer.

Quitting Your Job Means You’re Not Getting Paid

One reason is that when you quit, you forfeit a steady paycheck and possibly benefits that your employer has provided. While you may win your employment case down the road and get compensation that way, in the meantime, it’s a good idea to keep your job so you can have money coming in.

Your Employment Case Will Be Stronger If You Keep Working

Another reason resigning your position is a bad idea is because you are not helpless concerning unlawful behavior in the workplace. Iowa employers are legally required to put a stop to any unlawful harassing behavior once they know about it. This means reporting the bad behavior to your employer could make the behavior stop.

Your employment case will be stronger if you first attempt to fight against the harassment or discrimination through the channels laid out by the employer’s human resources department.

If the behavior doesn’t stop, or the employer fails to do anything about the behavior, you will have proof you attempted to resolve the issue appropriately.

If you inform your employer about discrimination or harassment, and your employer in turn fires you, you have a strong case to prove a retaliation claim – which can be much more serious than a claim of harassment or discrimination standing by itself.

If you are terminated in an illegal way, you may be able to collect damages for lost wages and benefits from a settlement or trial. However, if you resign, you give up the ability to collect those damages.

Wage losses can be a big part of an Iowa employment settlement, depending on your salary at the job you were fired from compared to your salary at any new job, and how long it takes for you to get a new job.

Don’t Lose Out on Information to Help Your Iowa Employment Claim

A third reason that quitting your job can tank your employment case is that you can lose access to email and other important documents that may back up your case. If you quit, you will lose your access to this information.

If you feel like you are not safe, or your physical or mental health is in danger, then you should do what’s best for you. But we generally recommend that employees in Iowa do not quit their jobs if they are being harassed or discriminated against.

RSH Legal offers free, no-obligation case evaluations for Iowans who have been discriminated against or harassed at work. In this free consultation, our knowledgeable Iowa employment attorneys will discuss need-to-know information about your claim.

To schedule yours, call 1-800-433-0283 today.

Looking for Iowa Legal Help?

Find out how to get treated fairly after an injury or disability in Iowa

For a free, no-obligation case evaluation, call us at (319) 409-6575
or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form to reach us online