If your employer asks you to do something concerning

What are my rights?

If my employer asks me to do something I think is against the law, can I turn them down?
  • Yes
  • No

Your employer has responsibilities: to direct the work you do, pay your wages, and provide a safe place to work. You have responsibilities in return. These include doing the work you were hired to do and being loyal to your employer. But you don’t have to follow instructions that are unreasonable or unlawful. Learn your rights and options if your employer asks you to do something concerning. 

What you should know

Work out the problem

Who can help

If your employer asks you to do something illegal or dangerous, you should seek legal advice. There are options for free or low-cost legal advice.

  • This information applies to British Columbia, Canada
  • Reviewed for legal accuracy in April 2020
  • Time to read: 6 minutes

Reviewed for legal accuracy by

Mary Thibodeau, Moore Edgar Lyster LLP and Leanne M. Walsh, West Coast Workplace Law

Mary Thibodeau
Leanne M. Walsh

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We are grateful to work on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, whose Peoples continue to live on and care for these lands.