BOSTON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAWYER

Following the Great Depression, the federal, state, and local governments began to regulate the terms of employment to protect the workforce. This regulation has evolved into a variety of areas:

• Minimum wage – Most non-tipped employees are entitled to receive a minimum hourly wage for work. The Massachusetts minimum wage was changed, effective January 1st, 2017, to $11.00 an hour.
• Overtime – With some exceptions, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act requires that employees be paid “time and a half” – 150 percent of their normal hourly wages – if they work more than 40 hours in a calendar week. This is also represented in Massachusetts law{: target="_blank"} with certain exceptions.
• Emergency leave – The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12 month period for events such as the birth of a child, a personal illness or injury, or the illness of a family member.
• Unpaid wages – Sometimes, employers simply don’t pay outgoing employees the wages they are owed. This can be regular salary as well as unused vacation and leave, commissions, bonuses, and other vested rights. Massachusetts law allows employees to sue for these unpaid wages and, if successful, to also have their legal fees paid by the employer.

Most employers are pragmatic enough to hire the best person for the job, and handle situations without taking into account race, gender, religion, or an employee’s other personal attributes. But discrimination and harassment in the workplace still occurs frequently in the United States.

Some discrimination can be subtle, and often appear inadvertent, but is still harmful. This includes:

• Refusing to hire;
• Using unnecessary job qualifications to root out members of minority groups;
• Failing to promote;
• Refusing to hire a person with disabilities even though they are able to do the job with reasonable accommodation;
• Refusing to reasonably accommodate the religious practice or custom of an employee;
• Unfairly enforcing disciplinary policies against members of minority groups;
• Advertising positions in ways that excludes minority groups; or
• Refusing to provide a reasonable accommodation for a disabled employee who requests it.

If you are involved in a dispute with your employer, your decision to hire an attorney or pursue the matter alone can have a direct impact on whether your employment rights are ultimately protected. In most situations, the company, especially a large corporation, will have more resources than its employees.

The company may have already legal counsel, or will hire its own team of attorneys to help limit their exposure and reduce the risk of litigation. In these cases, you may need an employment lawyer who can protect your rights and improve your chances of filing a successful claim. Morgan & Morgan attorneys offer you the resources necessary to continue the fight against your employer and their powerful legal counsel, without the expensive price tag.

Our attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis, which means that you only pay a reasonable fee if we win your case. You won’t pay any upfront costs or consultation fees with Morgan & Morgan at your side.

Our Boston team is ready to fight for you. They will work on your behalf to try and hold your employer accountable for their labor and employment violations. If you think you’ve been a victim, contact us today for a free, no-risk case evaluation to have your claim evaluated.