Employment Law deals with your rights at work — including your right to fair pay, family and medical leave, privacy in the workplace and safety on the job. Employment lawyers can help you understand your rights and help you fight for them if needed.
If you are an employer, it’s wise to get legal advice before drafting or signing any employment-related contracts or agreements such as employment contracts, severance agreements or releases. An attorney can review these documents to ensure that they contain all the necessary legal terms and will be enforceable by a court.
Employees who believe their rights have been violated should consult an Employment lawyer before taking any action. An attorney can determine whether it’s worth pursuing the matter further, such as filing a wrongful termination lawsuit or a whistleblower complaint with the government. They can also advise employees about what to do if their boss is harassing them or if they need to file a workers’ compensation claim.
Employers should also consult an attorney when they are developing employment policies or if they think that a worker may have been misclassified. An attorney can ensure that the policy or misclassification doesn’t violate any laws regarding overtime pay, severance pay, family and medical leave or workplace safety.
An employment attorney can also assist in other types of situations that fall short of a lawsuit, such as when an employee files an adversarial proceeding with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or another government agency, or when an employee is seeking unemployment benefits. Employment Law advice