The probability of you experiencing a situation where your rights are being violated at work is higher than you would originally think. Employers often think that they can get away with small to medium-sized violations because they assume their employees will not retain the services of a labor lawyer to fight back. In their 2018 annual report, the Department of Fair Employment of Housing (DFEH) of California reported 27,840 cases of discrimination; 4,216 were employment investigations, and 14,772 were requests for immediate right-to-sue for employment discrimination. A labor lawyer is exactly the person you need when you feel like you have been discriminated against, have not received all of your wages, have been illegally harassed, or were fired for unlawful reasons. A labor law attorney will fight for your rights and get you the compensation you deserve.
Assess Your Situation and Offer Advice
During your search for a labor law attorney, you should contact employment law firms to discuss your situation and see if you can get a complimentary case evaluation with one of their employment attorneys. This will allow you to know if you have a case and what to do next. During the case evaluation, the labor lawyer will discuss your situation in detail; will ask specific questions about your situation, and will be able to give you a quick evaluation. This will be a good opportunity for the labor lawyer to determine if this is a case that they will take on and represent you.
Negotiate and Litigate for You
Hiring a labor law attorney will give you access to someone with extensive knowledge of labor law and employee rights at local, state, and federal levels. Using this knowledge and their years of experience, they will be able to negotiate with your employer and their lawyers on your behalf for your best results, ensuring your rights and protections under the law are enforced. Your labor lawyer should also have the experience and knowledge of the court systems in order to navigate them expertly. As well, they have the resources of a law firm for easier access to expert witnesses, research paralegals, etc. Attempting to represent yourself (pro se) is not recommended as there is a lot of paperwork filing and courtroom procedures that must be followed exactly; otherwise, a case can be easily thrown out.
Retaining an Employment Attorney
The best chance you have of ensuring your rights are protected when you feel that there is a hostile environment at your workplace is to contact an employment attorney for a free Case Evaluation. The team at Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C., is available for a complimentary Case Evaluation to let you know your options.