Have you suffered workplace abuse or negligence by your employer? You may have the right to file a claim to obtain relief or compensation from your employer for violating your rights. Contact De Castroverde Criminal & Immigration for an initial case evaluation to learn how an employment attorney will fight to hold an employer accountable and demand a fair recovery or result for you.
Our legal team prides itself on providing aggressive, dedicated legal representation. We strive to ensure each client has the one-on-one attorney relationship they deserve. Our firm has received recognition from “Best Lawyers in America,” “Super Lawyers,” Martindale-Hubbell, and Avvo for our hard work and the success we’ve secured for our clients.
If your employer has abused your rights or acted negligently toward you, you don’t have to face it alone. Call De Castroverde Criminal & Immigration today.
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What Is an Employment Attorney?
An employment attorney is a lawyer who focuses their practice on employment law cases. Employment attorneys come in two types. One type focuses on representing workers, often called an employment rights or employment discrimination attorney. The other type focuses on representing employers, often known as management attorneys. However, some employment attorneys will accept both workers and employers as clients.
Employment attorneys representing workers can help clients determine whether their employer may have violated their rights and assist with pursuing administrative and legal claims. Depending on the type of claim, a worker may have to pursue their claim first with a government administrative or regulatory agency, such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, before they can file a lawsuit against their employer. An employment attorney can represent workers both in court and before government agencies.
Legal Issues Handled by Employment Attorneys
Employment attorneys handle all kinds of disputes that workers may have or any legal matter involving employment. Common examples of legal issues that employment attorneys can assist workers with include:
- Discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, familial status, or veteran status
- Workplace harassment, including sexual harassment
- Retaliation, including whistleblower and family/medical leave retaliation
- Denial of leave
- Wrongful termination, including discriminatory or retaliatory termination or violations of mass layoff laws
- Wage theft, including failure to pay minimum wage, overtime, or earned tips
- Employee misclassification, including misclassifying workers as independent contractors or as exempt from overtime rules
- Compensation disputes, including executive pay, bonuses, and commissions
- Denial of disability, pregnancy, or religious accommodations
- Denial of employment benefits
- Civil service rules violations
- Workplace safety violations
When Should You Talk to an Employment Attorney
As a worker, you should contact an employment attorney when you believe your employer may have violated your rights and will not remedy the situation. Although a worker can turn to a government agency like the EEOC for help with certain workers’ rights claims, if the agency decides not to get involved, the worker will need to pursue relief in court. At this point, having legal representation becomes critical to success in an employment claim.
A worker can talk to an employment attorney before contacting a government agency for help. A lawyer can advise workers whether they have a valid legal dispute against their employer, what options they may have for obtaining relief, and what steps they must take to get relief. Talking to an employment attorney may also get relief for a worker much more quickly, as the attorney can reach out to the employer on the worker’s behalf. Knowing that a worker has obtained legal counsel may convince an employer to take a worker’s dispute seriously and agree to resolve the situation.
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How an Employment Attorney Can Help You
An employment attorney can help you navigate the process of pursuing relief or recovery from your employer following a violation of your worker’s rights. A lawyer can provide you with advice and advocacy at each stage of your case by:
- Thoroughly investigating your claims to understand the facts and circumstances and secure evidence in support of your case
- Sitting down with you to explain your legal options and prepare you for what to expect at each stage of the case
- Communicating with your employer on your behalf to pursue a negotiated settlement of your case
- Filing your administrative claims and representing you before government agencies
- Taking your case to court if necessary and vigorously advocating for justice and financial recovery for you
What Should You Do If You’ve Suffered Workplace Abuse?
Suppose your employer has violated your workplace rights. In that case, steps you need to take to preserve your legal options and place yourself in the best position to seek relief and financial recovery include:
- Gather any records or documents relevant to the dispute, including emails, text messages, or performance reviews. Find a copy of your employment contract or employee handbook if you have one.
- Keep detailed information about ongoing incidents, including acts of discrimination or harassment.
- If your company has one, report your concerns to your HR officer or department.
If your employer continues ignoring your complaints or concerns, contact an employment attorney as soon as possible to learn the next steps you can take to stand up for your rights.
How to Choose an Employment Attorney
When you need legal counsel to address a potential violation of your workplace rights, you should ask questions to help you determine who the right attorney for your case could be. Essential questions to ask include:
- How long have you practiced employment law?
- What percentage of your practice includes employment law matters?
- Do you represent only workers, or do you also represent employers?
- Have you handled cases like mine?
- How often do you take employment matters to court/trial?
- What legal options do I have?
- What do you think of my likelihood of success?
- Do you have any certifications or awards?
You can also ask questions to help determine if a lawyer will fit with your budget and working style:
- How do you structure your legal fees? Will I have to pay a retainer upfront?
- How frequently should I expect to hear from you during my case?
- How quickly do you respond to voicemails and emails?
- Will you or another attorney or firm handle my case?
- Will I talk to you directly if I call?
Contact an Employment Attorney Today for Help
If you’ve suffered abuse, negligence, or violations of your rights in the workplace, get legal help. We can stand up for your rights and demand compensation and justice from your employer. Contact De Castroverde Criminal & Immigration today for a confidential consultation to speak with an employment attorney about your options.