
What is Employment Law Law?
Employment attorneys represent employees in workplace disputes, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage theft, and retaliation. They help protect your rights under federal and state employment laws. Many work on contingency for strong cases, making legal representation accessible to workers.
Types of Employment Law Cases
Wrongful Termination
Illegal firing claims
Workplace Discrimination
Race, sex, age, disability discrimination
Sexual Harassment
Hostile work environment and quid pro quo
Wage & Hour
Unpaid wages, overtime, misclassification
Retaliation
Punishment for protected activities
FMLA/Leave Issues
Medical and family leave rights
Employment Contracts
Non-competes, agreements
Whistleblower Claims
Protection for reporting wrongdoing
What to Look For
- Experience with yourExperience with your specific type of claim
- Track record againstTrack record against employers like yours
- Knowledge of federalKnowledge of federal and state employment laws
Red Flags to Avoid
- Guaranteeing specific outcomesGuaranteeing specific outcomes or amounts
- Lack of trialLack of trial experience
- Unfamiliarity with yourUnfamiliarity with your industry
Typical Costs
Contingency or $200-$500/hour
- •Contingency: 25-40% of recovery (common for strong cases)
- •Hourly: $200-$500/hour for weaker cases
- •Severance review: $500-$2,000 flat fee
- •EEOC filing: Often included in contingency
- •Many offer free initial consultations
- •Some cases: hybrid contingency/hourly
Expected Timeline
6 months to 3 years
- •EEOC process: 6-18 months
- •Pre-litigation settlement: 3-12 months
- •Litigation: 1-3 years
- •Wage claims: 3-12 months
- •Settlement can happen at any stage
Document Everything
If you're experiencing problems at work, documentation is crucial. Keep records of incidents with dates, times, and witnesses. Save relevant emails and messages (to personal accounts if company policy allows). Maintain a timeline of events. This evidence can be essential if you need to take legal action.
Understanding Your Rights
Workers have more protections than many realize. Beyond discrimination and harassment laws, you're protected from retaliation for reporting safety violations, wage theft, fraud, and other illegal conduct. You have rights to certain wages, leaves, and working conditions. An employment attorney helps you understand your options.
The EEOC Process
Most discrimination claims must first go through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) before you can sue. You file a charge, the agency investigates, and may attempt mediation. If they don't resolve the case, you receive a 'right to sue' letter allowing you to file in court.
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