When Might I Need the Services of an Employment Attorney?

On Behalf of | Apr 18, 2023 | Employment Law

You may feel like you have been discriminated at work on wrongfully terminated, or some other situation that has adversely affected your employment.

Your first instinct is probably to speak with an employment attorney before making any next steps, but how can they help?

WHAT DOES AN EMPLOYMENT LAWYER DO?

Employment lawyers represent employees in filing complaints and lawsuits in a number of labor related situations, including:

  • Wage disputes where an employee has not received the compensation, to which they are entitled. This may be as a result of an employer not paying you for overtime hours in which you are owed or in other instances where you may have been asked to work “off the clock”.
  • Employment discrimination – Federal law provides for protection against discrimination for a number of factors, including:
    • Race
    • Color
    • National Origin
    • Sex
    • Religion
    • Age (for those 40 and older)
    • Disability

There are additional laws that may be applicable based on the number of employees at your firm. There also may be state laws that apply to your situation, that you attorney would be able to help you to determine.

  • Employee Class Action – If numerous employees at the same organization have been negatively affected by a similar action of an employer, an employment lawyer can represent the entire group in one filing.
  • Worker’s Compensation – For employees injured at work, an employment lawyer can help with the process of creating an initial claim or filing an appeal if the original claim was denied.
  • Third Party Claims – Your lawsuit may be filed against a third party for a work-related injury rather than your employer. Employment lawyers can help to represent you in communicating with the third parties’ legal representatives and on your behalf in court proceedings.

An employment lawyer may also represent an employee in labor claims being made against union-related matters if you feel that you have not been represented fairly.

DO I NEED TO CONTACT AN EMPLOYMENT LAWYER IMMEDIATELY?

While an employment lawyer can be helpful in making your claims, meeting filing deadlines, and negotiating on your behalf, you should consider contacting a lawyer immediately if:

  • An employer or former employer sues you or makes threats about filing suit.
  • If your employer asks you to sign any documentation that you don’t completely understand. For example, if you are asked to sign a non-compete or confidentiality agreement and you don’t completely understand the terms.

WHEN ELSE CAN THE SERVICES OF AN EMPLOYMENT LAWYER BE HELPFUL?

Other cases where you might want to contact the services of an employment lawyer include:

  • Employment law violations – For example, if you feel like you may have been illegally laid off or terminated.
  • Your employer has retaliated against you for making complaints against them.
  • You think your employment status may have been misclassified as an independent contractor or disqualified from receiving overtime.
  • If you’re eligible for severance and can’t/prefer not to make the negotiations
  • If you’re nearing the statute of limitations on your deadline and are unsure of how to proceed.
  • You are unhappy with the results of the government agency’s investigation of your claim.
  • If you’re interested in making a written complaint to human resources about your employment issue and want to be sure that you are in compliance with company guidelines for documentation

Employment law issues can be complex and confusing. Having an employment lawyer to help you to navigate the process can help to alleviate the stress of your case allowing you to focus on the big picture.

QUESTIONS? CALL US TODAY ABOUT YOUR CASE

If you have any questions about the claims process or to learn more about our services, please feel free to contact us for more information.

Disclaimer: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individualsituation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established.