Defend Your Workplace Rights with the Expertise of New Bedford Employment Attorney
Even though your boss makes the decisions at your workplace, your boss still has to answer to the law. There are multitudes of employment laws that protect employees from mistreatment, and you deserve compensation or relief when your employer violates one of those laws. We hope it does not happen, but if you are ever in the middle of a workplace dispute, speak to a New Bedford employment dispute attorney at MA Employment Lawyers about your options. Our experienced employment attorneys work tirelessly to protect individuals in the Massachusetts workforce.
What Does an Employment Attorney Do?
An employment attorney can use the law to help ensure that you receive the best benefits and outcomes at the beginning, middle, and end of any employment relationship you enter. An employment lawyer can protect your interests in the following work-related situations:
- Wage disputes,
- Hostile work environment,
- Severance agreement negotiations,
- Sexual harassment,
- Settlement negotiations,
- Whistleblower claims,
- Job discrimination complaints,
- Employment contract negotiations,
- Retaliation complaints,
- Contract disputes, and
- Defamation claims.
Whether you are excited about working out the terms of a new job or preparing to face an employer about its unlawful behavior, there is an imbalance of power between you and your employer that rarely favors the employee. In any significant employment interaction, you can take your power back against an employer by hiring a skilled advocate, such as a New Bedford employment attorney, to represent you.
Enforcing Employees’ Rights to Wages
Another significant problem in many workplaces is employers’ failure to properly pay their employees. This issue can be as obvious as an employee not receiving a paycheck for their labor or as subtle as failing to pay minimum wage or overtime every time it is due.
In Massachusetts, the minimum wage is $15 per hour. And if an employee works more than 40 hours in a workweek, their employer must pay most employees 1.5 times their regular rate for any working time in excess of 40 hours. If an employer neglects to respect your right to wages, you can submit a wage complaint to the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office or the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. A New Bedford employment dispute lawyer can make the most out of your wage claim and help preserve your relationship with your employer if you choose to stay at the same workplace.
Protecting Against Unlawful Discrimination and Its Aftermath
Unlawful discrimination is a big problem in workplaces all over the nation. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reports that it received over 61,000 charges of employment discrimination in 2021.
Many employers subject their employees to unfair treatment because of the employees’ protected characteristics. And an employer commits unlawful discrimination if it fires someone, refuses to hire someone, harasses someone, reduces or eliminates someone’s benefits, fails to promote someone, or takes other unfavorable employment actions against someone because of one of the following reasons:
- Religion,
- Age (40 or over),
- Race,
- Color,
- Sex,
- Military status,
- National origin,
- Genetics,
- Criminal history, or
- Disability.
Also, an employer engages in illegal retaliation if it makes an adverse decision against an employee for filing a workers’ compensation claim, filing or helping with a discrimination claim, reporting illegal activity, filing a wage claim, or otherwise lawfully asserting their rights.
If you are a victim of retaliation or discrimination, you can file a complaint with the EEOC or the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. You also have the option of filing a civil lawsuit against your employer. Whatever avenue you choose, initiating legal action against your employer for infringing upon your rights is a challenging undertaking. There are often many steps to successfully adjudicating a claim, and you should have a New Bedford employment discrimination attorney by your side to help ensure your claim is filed properly and that you receive all the legal relief you deserve.
Negotiating Employment Contract Terms
Not every legal matter with an employer has to begin with a dispute. Sometimes you need to call an attorney when you receive an exciting new job offer. A new job can come with an employment contract that should be reviewed by an experienced practitioner, such as a New Bedford employment lawyer. Your attorney can help you avoid or renegotiate limiting contract terms such as non-compete agreements, confidentiality clauses, and benefits packages. An attorney can also protect you in severance agreement negotiations and breach of contract claims with your employer.
Trusted New Bedford Employment Lawyer Ready To Help You Get the Most Out of Your Work
Having an experienced attorney behind you whenever you have a significant interaction with your employer is one of the best decisions you can make. At MA Employment Lawyers, we have more than 70 years of combined experience in employment law, and we are aggressive defenders of employee rights. Wherever you are in your career, we can protect your interests. If you need a skilled New Bedford employment attorney, please call us now or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
