It is an unfortunate truth that New York employees have their rights threatened or violated far too often. And when these rights are threatened or violated, legal action may be required. Read on to discover the common cases of employment issues that are seen in the workplace and how a seasoned New York employee rights lawyer at The Bell Law Group can help you navigate your legal options.
What are common cases of employment issues seen in the New York workplace?
Notably, our firm has experience with many different types of employment issues. But the most common cases that we handle include the following:
- Wage and hour disputes: in New York, all private employees receive employment protection under state law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. So, disputes occur when there is a failure to pay overtime, failure to pay agreed-upon wages, failure to pay minimum wage, etc.
- Workplace discrimination: both state and federal laws protect employees against workplace discrimination. So, it is unacceptable if you are discriminated against based on your sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy, etc. Such discrimination can be seen by being punished in any way due to your protected traits.
- Sexual harassment: this is a form of sexual discrimination that has been illegalized in the workplace since 1964. So, it is unacceptable if you feel degraded, insulted, or frightened because your employer tied job actions to sexual favors or overall created a hostile work environment with their sexually suggestive actions.
- Worker retaliation: you may experience retaliation if you bring your wage and hour, workplace discrimination, or sexual harassment claim forward. However, this is most often seen with whistleblower claims. Rest assured, Section 740 of the New York Labor Law provides whistleblowers with protections from retaliatory actions from their employers.
- Wrongful termination: again, you may experience wrongful termination if you bring your wage and hour, workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, or whistleblower claim forward. Although New York is an employment-at-will state, meaning that an employer can hire or fire anyone, they can only do so for legally accepted reasons.
- Unpaid internships: this becomes a problem if your employer begins to treat you like a regular employee yet still does not pay you. Importantly, the New York Department of Labor, Division of Labor Standards, uses 11 criteria to resolve whether an individual is considered an intern or a regular employee.
With all that being said, if you relate to any of the above cases, you must not hesitate in reaching out to one of the competent New York employment lawyers. To reiterate, we have experience with handling a wide array of employment cases, and we are ready to take on yours. Call us today.
