Labor law can be kind of a complex beast at times, which is why so many companies are able to get away with doing all kinds of shady s**t to their workers. Knowing your rights can not only prevent you from being taken advantage of, it can also be instrumental in winning a case against your former bosses if they DID end up screwing you over. Don't get intimidated by corporate lawyers - the law is the law and if it's on your side then no amount of legal backflips will help them. Remember - knowledge is power!