There are many legal provisions to safeguard the rights of employees in the employment laws in California. Unfortunately, many employees and employers remain unaware of these, leading to workplace disputes. By consulting a reputable employment attorney Glendale employees can get the appropriate legal counsel for their employment-related issues.
Who is an employment attorney?
An employment attorney is a legal professional with specialized knowledge of employment laws. With their in-depth understanding of employment-related legalities, an employment attorney can handle labor issues across different industries. They may operate their own law practice or work in a group law practice. They may also provide legal advice to NGOs or work in the legal department of an organization.
Understanding the work of an employment attorney
An employment attorney does the following kinds of work:
Informs employees of their legal rights
By speaking with an employment attorney Glendale employees can get a better understanding of employment laws. The attorney can inform them of the many workplace rights that they are entitled to by law. These include the following:
• The right to work in an environment that is safe and does not expose them to any dangers or risks.
• The right to work peacefully without being subjected to bullying, harassment, intimidation, insults, and physical violence.
• The right to work without facing discrimination for their age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, and health condition.
• The right to maintain the privacy of their personal lives and matters.
• The right to be compensated appropriately for the work they do and the hours they put in at their workplace. That means, receiving the established minimum hourly rate for regular, overtime, and double-time work if they are non-exempt workers and receive hourly pay for their work.
• The right to take work breaks, maternity leave, paternity leave, and leave for family emergencies.
Protect employee workplace rights
After hiring an employment attorney Glendale employees can expect them to safeguard their rights in the following ways:
• The employment attorney will review an employee’s case and find out if their employer has indeed been acting in ways that violate their legal workplace rights.
• If the employer is violating employee rights, the employment attorney will gather factual evidence of these violations in the form of emails, messages, videos, photographs, images, memos, work records, and witness testimonials.
• The employment attorney will review the company’s policy statements and employee handbooks that state the company’s stance regarding workplace discrimination and harassment. The attorney can use these documents to point out to the employer the difference between their stated policy and the ground reality.
• The employment lawyer can approach the employer on the behalf of the employees and attempt to mediate the dispute by presenting them with factual evidence and informing them of the legal provisions that uphold employee rights. They can also let them know of the legal consequences if they continue to violate these rights.
• If negotiating with the employer does not work, the employment attorney will assist you with filing a workplace discrimination claim against your employer before the statute of limitations for that specific claim runs out. Depending on the matter, it may be necessary to file a case with weeks or years of experiencing discrimination or harassment.
Things to keep in mind before hiring an employment attorney
The following tips may be helpful for hiring an employment attorney:
• Search online for an “Employment Attorney Glendale” and review the employment attorney’s educational credentials, legal knowledge, and work experience.
• Read the testimonials of current and past clients of the employment attorney and check if the majority of them are positive.
• Make sure that the employment attorney does not have complaints against them for illegal and unethical conduct.
• Find out if the employment attorney offers a free initial consultation and use that opportunity to discuss the case and assess their compatibility with you. Since legal issues can take time to resolve, it is essential to find someone easy to get along with and with whom you can discuss your legal concerns without any reserve.
• Inquire about the legal fees that the employment lawyer will charge, their preferred payment mode, and any additional expenses that might be necessary for pursuing a court case.