Millennials and Gen Z, perhaps more than any generation before, are defined by their relationship with banks, healthcare facilities, schools, big corporations — and most importantly, their workplace rights. Naturally, it’s important for them to know where they stand within these walls.
From the moment we enroll in an institution, our lives are structured within these organizations.
What does this mean? Well, there’ll be rules we’ll be forced to adhere to, and our own (personal) values might be challenged.
But, regardless of whether we’re talking about a workplace, a school, a hospital, or even online communities – and regardless of the rules imposed by that institution, you, as a U.S. citizen, have a right to:
A Safe Environment
A fundamental right for any generation – Millennial, Gen Z, or any other – is the right to be safe.
That’s why it’s in first place. It’s the most important one.
Regardless of where you work and learn, whether it is a for-profit company, a non-profit organization, or a university – it doesn’t matter – it’s the legal and ethical duty of that particular institution to provide an environment free from foreseeable harm. This isn’t just about obvious physical dangers like faulty wiring or fire hazards; it extends to psychological safety and physical violence.
Illinois workplace safety laws highlight this responsibility clearly, requiring employers to provide protective equipment, training, and safe conditions that minimize risks to employees.
What This Looks Like:
- Your employer must provide the necessary safety equipment.
- Your university must ensure well-lit pathways and secure dormitories.
- The institution has a responsibility to address any credible threats (e.g., harassment from others within the community) with the goal of de-escalation.
As noted by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers have a ‘general duty’ to provide a workplace ‘free from recognized hazards’. Well said, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Be Free from Discrimination
Meritocracy is shaped and driven by merit – meaning, your worth, your skill, and your excellence. As part of your workplace rights, you have a right to be treated based on your merit and not by your personal characteristics. But what does ‘personal characteristics’ refer to?
Federal and state laws protect individuals from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, disability, age (40 or older), political ideology, and genetic information.
What This Looks Like:
- This means you cannot be passed over for a promotion.
- Given a lower grade.
- Denied services.
- Subjected to a hostile environment based on who you are.
An institution should explicitly outline its non-discrimination policies and provide accessible (and clear) protocols for reporting violations. If you’re unsure where to start, guides on how to report discrimination at your university can help you take the first step toward accountability.
Privacy and Data Security
People live a significant part of each of their days online, and naturally, data security and privacy had to be mentioned. Protecting your personal information is also a key part of workplace rights.
Institutions collect vast amounts of data on us, from academic records and performance reviews to health metrics and browsing history on a company server.
You have a reasonable expectation that this sensitive information will be handled responsibly and kept confidential.
What This Looks Like:
- Your employer shouldn’t be monitoring your personal text messages.
- Your university can’t publicly post grades with your student ID.
- A healthcare provider must secure your medical records.
Laws like FERPA (for education) and HIPAA (for health) enforce this, but the principle of personal data privacy is a universal ethical right within any organization that collects your information.
Report Without Retaliation
A right is meaningless if you’re punished for asserting it. This fear prevents people from coming forward. What ends up happening is we end up protecting the wrongdoer while we suffer in silence, leaving them free to violate more rights (yours and those of others).
‘Whistleblower’ protections are designed to shield individuals who report illegal/unethical activities within an institution from retaliation; vital for maintaining integrity and accountability.
What This Looks Like:
- If you report a safety violation to HR, your employer cannot demote or fire you for it.
- If a student reports academic fraud, the university cannot unfairly discipline them.
- Retaliation can be overt (termination) or subtle (isolation, sudden poor performance reviews).
Institutions should have an anonymous reporting system and a culture that encourages you to speak up.
Due Process
This right allows you to stand your ground from a place of knowledge and confidence.
If you’re accused of, or are the one accusing someone of wrongdoing, or are involved in a dispute, you have the right to a fair and impartial process.
What This Looks Like:
For the Accused
- Adequate Notice
- Right to be Heard
- Right to Cross-Examine
- Right to Legal Representation
- Right to Present Evidence
For the Accuser
- Right to be Heard
- Right to Know the Outcome
- Confidentiality
If you are in a workplace disciplinary hearing, you should be given the evidence and a chance to respond. In a university disciplinary committee, you should be allowed to have an advisor.
Due process ensures that decisions are based on evidence and fair procedure and decided by an unbiased party.
That said, it’s a tragic reality that these fundamental rights are sometimes severely violated within the very institutions meant to uphold them.
When violations involve instances of abuse, neglect, or systemic failure, knowing your rights includes knowing how to seek justice.
The legality after such trauma can be highly specific to both the type of violation and the jurisdiction where it occurred.
The state of Illinois has its own statutes of limitations and legal precedents that impact cases of institutional abuse, meaning that the professional guidance of specialized attorneys becomes invaluable. Law firms, such as the Injury Lawyer Team, offer assistance to survivors seeking to hold powerful institutions accountable.
Workplace Rights: Seeking Justice and Driving Change
It’s a big world out there. But the good news is, you’re never alone. If you’ve been wronged in the eyes of the law, contact and consult a local well-known law firm and check whether you’ve got a case.
While the compensation and justice you might get are nice, keep in mind that you’re also part of the great machine that’s making change happen.
