Despite a federal law that protects jobs and benefits for members of the Guard and Reserves, some employers still retaliate, at times blatantly.

The court added, "A lower-level manager's refusal to carry out that order is protected activity, and an employer may not retaliate against her for that refusal."

The employers retaliated by locking the doors at Swedish bank branches across the country.

Finally, workers are unlikely to discover that the employer has blacklisted or retaliated against them until they fail to be requested to work again the following season.

Some large employers retaliated by installing file cutting machines.

If the worker files a complaint, the employer cannot retaliate.

"The employer may retaliate against the employee."

The other creates a new route for corporate whistle-blowers to file lawsuits seeking compensatory damages if their employer retaliates against them.

Even assuming the charges of discrimination were without merit, the employee has a strong claim that the employer unlawfully retaliated against her.

When it becomes known that employers cannot retaliate, "more women will come forward," Mr. Green said.