5 things you should know about your rights as a worker during coronavirus

By Stephanie Welch, director of Workers’ Rights

Termination
Your employer can’t fire you if you are placed in isolation or quarantine. Employers who violate this legal protection could owe up to $5,000 in penalties.

Unemployment
If you are laid off or furloughed because of COVID-19, you are eligible for unemployment benefits. Contact the Department of Workforce Solutions for more information. . You can apply for unemployment benefits online at www.jobs.state.nm.us or by calling DWS at (877) 664-6984.

Privacy Rights
Your employer has to keep all medical information about you private and confidential. This includes if you have the coronavirus.

Discrimination
It is illegal for employers to mistreat you because of your race, national origin, or ethnic background. This means your employer can’t treat you differently than your coworkers because you are Asian or from another country affected by coronavirus. Contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission if you are facing discrimination at work. 

Sick Leave
If your employer provides you with paid sick leave when you are ill or need medical treatment, it must allow you to take that paid leave to care for a family member. Family member means a spouse or domestic partner, parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, child, foster child, grandchild, great-grandchild, brother, sister, niece, nephew, aunt, or uncle.

Please call 505-255-2840 with any questions. Watch the video in English or Spanish. Get the handout in English or Spanish.

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