Whether you are an employer or an employee, you will occasionally need legal help with employment issues. An experienced attorney can help ensure your rights are protected, particularly when dealing with complicated federal or state employment laws. These can include regulations related to minimum wage and hour requirements, wrongful termination laws, workplace safety, privacy, union-management relationships, and more.
The federal government oversees most employment law matters, and the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission and National Labor Relations Board administer the primary laws that prevent discrimination and govern relations between unions and employers. The states have their own employment laws, too, including rules relating to employee breaks and hours worked, overtime pay requirements, minimum wage, workers’ compensation, and other aspects of the workplace.
Even small businesses need advice about employment concerns from time to time. For example, if you fire an employee over excessive absences or due to violation of confidentiality or proprietary information policies, it is important to seek counsel to make sure your actions are in line with the law and that you don’t face a lawsuit.
Employees often need legal advice when they encounter discrimination, harassment, and other negative work environments. They may be able to file complaints with the EEOC or similar state agencies, or they might be able to file an appeal of a denied unemployment claim. An attorney can also assist with claims based on sex discrimination, age discrimination, or disability discrimination.
If you experience discrimination in the workplace, keep records of incidents, including details of what happened, who said it, and when it occurred. You should also make backups of your emails and personal files and store them off the company network in case you need to preserve evidence in a lawsuit. Employment Law advice