The employment law field can be very complicated, and often people find themselves in a situation where they need the help of an employment lawyer. This article will discuss six cases requiring an employment lawyer’s services, including harassment or discrimination at work, wrongful termination, wage and hour violations, retaliation for whistleblowing, and more.
-
Retaliation for Whistleblowing
If you are fired for whistleblowing, then another type of case where you may need to seek employment law services. When your employer retaliates against you by firing you after reporting their actions or information that they have done something wrong, it would be considered a violation of the Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX). Whistleblowing is when an employee reports misconduct by their employer, including reporting illegal activities, gross mismanagement of funds or resources, a violation of public health or safety, and more.
-
Wrongful Termination
If your employer has wrongfully terminated you because they did not follow their policies and procedures or violated state laws, that can lead to workers’ disputes. That is why attorneys helping workers resolve their disputes would be an excellent solution to this case. For example, let’s say your policy says that you must only be fired for just cause, but you are terminated for no reason. If this is the case, your employer has violated their policy and therefore has acted wrongly.
Another example would be when your boss fires you because of your political view or affiliation. You can also seek legal counsel if you are fired for taking time off work, like maternity leave under Pregnancy Discrimination Act, to care for a sick family member under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Employment lawyers may be able to help you file an FMLA lawsuit against your employer if they fire you because you requested time off.
-
Wage and Hour Violations
If you work more than 40 hours per week without being paid overtime, you may need employment law services. That is if your employer fails to pay you for all of your time working.
Suppose you are denied the right to receive overtime pay or paid less than minimum wage because your employer says they do not need to pay you for all of the hours worked as long as you receive “other benefits” like free housing. For example, if your employer requires you to live in the company housing and therefore does not pay for it while demanding that you work long hours, this would be considered wage theft. If this occurs, an employment lawyer could help file a claim against your employer on your behalf because they have violated federal labor laws by denying workers their right to fair and just wages. Employment lawyers may help employees who have been denied one or more benefits and rights by their employers. However, if you are not sure whether or not your employment rights have been violated, it is best to contact an attorney for guidance on how to proceed in this case.
-
Discrimination at Work
If your boss fires or demotes you because they do not like that you are disabled and therefore may be entitled to have protection under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects those with disabilities from being discriminated against in the workplace.
That is also true if you are fired or demoted because of your age, gender, race, religion, color, national origin, or any other reason that violates state and federal anti-discrimination laws. If this occurs, it can be considered a violation of Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination against employees in the workforce.
-
Workplace Bullying and Harassment
If your boss or co-workers bully, harass or discriminate against you because they do not like something about who you are, such as sexual orientation, race, etc. For example, if your boss or co-workers make fun of you, tease you about a disability, or call you offensive names because of who you love and where they believe that everyone should worship, this is considered workplace bullying.
If this occurs at work, it can be against federal anti-discrimination laws such as Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, sex, and national origin.
-
Workplace Injuries
If you sustain an injury while at the workplace, in that case, you need a lawyer. If your boss or company does not provide training to their employees to know how to handle hazardous material spills during cleanup operations safely, hence you get hurt because they took shortcuts when it comes to safety procedures, such as:
- The use of up-to-date personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Lack of proper medical care provided after an injury has occurred.
- Lack of safety training.
Employment lawyers will help you file a claim against your employee and ensure that you are well compensated by getting what you deserve. That is because they have worked in this field and have experience with this type of case.
