Areas of Practice

Discrimination at the Workplace

Discrimination in the workplace can take many forms including age, disability, equal pay/compensation, genetic information, national origin, pregnancy, race/color, religion, or sex.

Employer Retaliation

Antidiscrimination laws make it illegal to fire, demote, harass, or otherwise “Retaliate” against employees because they filed a charge of discrimination, complained to their employer or because they participated in an employment discrimination proceeding (such as an investigation or lawsuit).

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

Hostile Work Environment

A hostile work environment is created when conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work environment that a reasonable person would consider intimidating, hostile, or abusive.

FMLA Rights

The FMLA entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.

Wage & Hour Claims (FLSA)

Covered nonexempt workers are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour and overtime pay at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a workweek.

Severance Packages

Many employers offer employees a severance agreement upon termination. It is important for an employee to understand the rights and obligations they are exchanging in a severance agreement. An employee who is being offered a severance agreement should consider hiring an attorney to review and potentially negotiate on behalf of the employee.

Employment Contracts

Many employers today ask their employees to sign an employment contract. This contract may contain provisions that could have an adverse effect on the employee after employment ends. If your contract has a non-compete or non-solicitation provision you might consider seeking legal advice from an attorney either before signing the contract or after you leave that employer.