Last week’s “Day Without Women” campaign included a number of activities to increase awareness and support for women’s rights issues. One of the events was a strike. Supporters of the cause were encouraged to take a day off of work – paid or unpaid – in order to show by absence how valuable women are in the marketplace.

But what happens when employers retaliate against their employees for leaving work without permission? Can your employer fire you, for example? Or reduce your pay?

Know Your Rights

In the workplace, employees have a right to strike, but this is a general rule and not an absolute. Findlaw.com explains the conditions of strikes protected by law and those for which employers are allowed to fire their employees.

If you have a no-strike clause on your employment contract or if the strike was violent in nature, your employer does have the right to fire you for engaging in a strike. However, in most cases, you have the right to strike without retaliation from your employers.

Retaliation can include firing, reducing pay, disciplinary actions and other actions meant to punish you for your actions. As a general matter, it is illegal for employers to engage in retaliation against their employees for engaging in legal behavior.

If your employer has retaliated against you for participating in the “Day Without Women” strike or any other strike, it is important to know your rights. Talk with an experienced employment law attorney who can help you understand whether you have a case and can fight to protect your rights in the workplace.