Federal law provides protections for workers who take leave for specified family and medical reasons. But, not all employers are subject to this federal law so when you are an employee with a serious health condition that necessitates leave from work, an employment law attorney from Morton McGoldrick can help you determine whether the law applies, and if so, what your rights are. We can also help you determine if there are other laws that apply to your situation. Even if the federal law does not apply to your employer, other state and local laws can impact absences from work for medical conditions. Washington State law, for example, provides that women who take leave from work for the period of disability associated with child birth are entitled to have the employer hold their position so that they may return to the same or a similar position. In the cities of Seattle and Tacoma there are laws regarding required sick leave. Depending on the number of employees that are employed in a particular business, employees accrue paid sick leave for use when an employee or family member needs to take time off from work due to illness. If litigation is necessary to protect your rights regarding FMLA or other state and local laws regarding medical leave or sick time, employment law attorneys at Morton McGoldrick have the expertise to assist you in pursuit of your claims.

Morton McGoldrick’s employment law attorneys have experience litigating claims involving violations of the federal and state wage and hour laws. These violations can occur when employees’ jobs are misclassified as exempt from overtime requirements, or when employees are required to do work for which they are not compensated. These types of claims can be costly to employers because they can involve not only payment of the overtime but also double damages and attorneys’ fees if the claim is successful. In addition, if the misclassification extends to many employees, the claims can result in a class-action suit.

Employers know that the best way to prevent litigation in the area of employment law is by good communication regarding the expectations for behavior and performance at work, both at the outset of the employment relationship, and throughout an employee’s time there. This communication can take the form of offer letters, employment agreements, severance agreements, employee handbooks, and more. If you are an employee who wants a legal review of one of these documents before signing on for work, the employment law attorneys with Morton McGoldrick can help. It is important that employees who are asked to sign these types of documents make sure that they are aware of the legal obligations imposed by them. Employees should be particularly careful if they are asked to sign a Severance, Non-Compete, Non-Solicitation or Confidentiality Agreement. Having an employment law attorney review one of these types of agreements is a must. Our employment law attorneys have experience reviewing and evaluating these agreements to insure that you as an employee have a clear understanding of your rights and entitlements that are at stake. Employers are often concerned about protecting their trade secrets and, in particular, their customer lists. They will often take steps to spell out protections with an agreement limiting an employee’s future solicitation of co-workers or customers, employment with competitors, or disclosures of information. If you are an employee asked to sign a confidentiality or non-compete agreement, our employment law attorneys can help you evaluate whether the agreement is fair and reasonable. If you have already signed an agreement and your employer is demanding compliance with it, we can evaluate whether the agreement is likely to be enforceable and if so, how you might successfully negotiate with your employer regarding your future employment opportunities. Employers often want to finalize the termination of employment with a severance agreement. These agreements generally contain a “release” that protects the employer against the risk of employment claims being made later. Employees may hire an employment law attorney to review their circumstances so that they can make an informed decision on a severance agreement.