Workplace problems rarely resolve themselves. What starts as a minor disagreement or uncomfortable situation can quickly escalate into serious legal issues that threaten your career, income, and professional reputation. Knowing when to seek legal help can make the difference between protecting your rights and losing important claims due to missed deadlines or procedural mistakes.
Our friends at Exhibit G Law Firm report that they received over 81,000 workplace discrimination charges in fiscal year 2023. When you’re facing workplace violations or unfair treatment, an employment lawyer can help you understand your rights, document your claims properly, and pursue the remedies available under federal and state law.
You’ve Been Terminated Under Suspicious Circumstances
Most employment in the United States is “at-will,” meaning employers can fire workers for almost any reason. However, important exceptions exist. Employers cannot terminate you based on protected characteristics like race, gender, age, religion, disability, or national origin. They also cannot fire you in retaliation for whistleblowing, filing workers’ compensation claims, or reporting illegal activity.
If your termination happened shortly after you complained about discrimination, reported safety violations, or took protected leave under FMLA, the timing alone raises red flags. We investigate the circumstances surrounding your dismissal to determine whether your employer violated state or federal employment laws.
Your Employer Is Withholding Wages Or Misclassifying Your Position
Wage theft takes many forms. Some employers fail to pay overtime to non-exempt employees, misclassify workers as independent contractors to avoid payroll taxes and benefits, require off-the-clock work, or make illegal deductions from paychecks.
The Fair Labor Standards Act and state wage laws provide strong protections for workers. Common violations we see include:
- Refusing to pay time-and-a-half for hours over 40 per week
- Classifying employees as exempt when they don’t meet legal criteria
- Requiring employees to work through lunch breaks without compensation
- Failing to pay final paychecks on time after termination
- Making unauthorized deductions that drop wages below minimum wage
These violations often affect multiple employees, making class action lawsuits an option for recovery.
You’re Experiencing Workplace Harassment Or Discrimination
Harassment based on protected characteristics creates a hostile work environment that violates federal law. Sexual harassment, racial slurs, age-based comments, or disability-related mockery all constitute illegal conduct when they’re severe or pervasive enough to create an intimidating or offensive workplace.
You don’t have to tolerate this behavior. Before filing a lawsuit, you typically need to report the harassment to your employer and give them an opportunity to address it. If they fail to take appropriate corrective action, or if they retaliate against you for reporting, legal intervention becomes necessary.
Your Disability Accommodation Request Was Denied
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations might include modified work schedules, ergonomic equipment, reassignment to vacant positions, or adjustments to workplace policies.
Employers can only deny accommodation requests if they would create undue hardship. Many employers deny legitimate accommodation requests out of ignorance of the law or unwillingness to make changes. We help disabled workers obtain the accommodations they need and pursue claims when employers refuse.
You’re Being Forced To Sign Away Your Rights
Some employers present separation agreements or releases that waive your right to sue in exchange for minimal severance pay. These documents often include non-disparagement clauses, non-compete agreements, and broad releases of all legal claims.
Never sign these agreements without legal review. You may be entitled to significantly more money than the initial offer. Some provisions in these agreements may be unenforceable, and once you sign, recovering what you’re owed becomes much harder.
You’ve Been Denied Leave Under FMLA
The Family and Medical Leave Act provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for serious health conditions, childbirth, adoption, or caring for family members. Not all employees qualify, but those who do have strong legal protections.
Employers who interfere with FMLA rights, deny valid leave requests, or retaliate against employees who take FMLA leave violate federal law. We pursue claims for lost wages, benefits, and other damages when employers fail to comply with FMLA requirements.
Your Severance Agreement Seems One-Sided
Severance packages should compensate you for something of value. If your employer is offering a small payment in exchange for releasing all legal claims, including ones you might not even know you have, the agreement probably favors the employer heavily.
We review severance agreements to identify unfair terms, assess whether you have viable claims worth more than the severance offer, and negotiate better terms when appropriate.
Taking Action To Protect Your Rights
Employment law provides important protections for workers, but these rights mean nothing if you don’t enforce them. Statutes of limitations create strict deadlines for filing claims, and missing these deadlines can eliminate your ability to recover damages. If you’re facing any of these situations, contact us to discuss your circumstances and learn about your legal options.