People have a wide range of things to say about employment law services in New York, NY. State law has been amended such that it is more straightforward to pursue damages in the event that you've been discriminated against. The New York City employment law has long provided substantial protections to workers from a wide range of backgrounds. Many people are pleased by the aggressive pursuit of favorable settlements and verdicts our employment law services provide. You should call the seasoned New York City employment discrimination attorneys of Phillips and Associates.
Our firm understand how difficult it is to be judged on your identity, rather than your performance on the job. Many people find the experience of discrimination distressing. Often companies and institutions have a team of skillful lawyers who are willing to spend time and money vigorously defending against a worker’s claim for monetary damages, particularly if the worker does not have legal representation. Defense attorneys often stall and engage in tactics intended to prolong litigation, in order to make it too expensive and frustrating for a worker to stay the course to recover damages. Therefore, it is crucial to obtain employment law services in New York City that are comparable to those to which your employer has access. At Phillips and Associates, we have been honored with numerous awards, accolades, good reviews, media attention. Our employment law services are responsive, aggressive, and knowledgeable.
Changes to the New York State Human Rights Law
You should seek legal representation from those employment law services that stay on top of changes to the law and workers’ rights. Within the last few years, state law has dramatically changed such that it is more favorable to workers than it used to be. Not every lawyer realizes this, however. Experienced litigators understand these important changes and how to pursue damages appropriately under the amended law.
The New York State Human Rights Law applies to all employers in the state, regardless of their size. This generally makes it the more protective than federal employment laws. While federal law doesn't expressly prohibit workplace harassment in statutory language, the state law has expressly made harassment in the workplace illegal when it is based on protected characteristics such as sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, and disability. The New York City antidiscrimination employment laws are even more protective to workers.
What People Are Saying About City Law
The New York City Human Rights Law is widely considered one of the most protective antidiscrimination employment laws in the country. Judges have been interpreting city law for years. However, it only applies to those workplaces that have at least four employees. At this point, our employment law services may find you have greater protection under state law. Still, the city law protects a wider range of characteristics including:
- Arrest or conviction record
- Caregiver status
- Domestic violence victim status
- Sexual and reproductive health decisions
- Immigration or citizenship status
- Lactation accommodations.
You may have a claim for damages under New York City employment laws, for example, if:
- You were sexually harassed in the workplace
- You were harassed and/or subjected to comments based on your race, religion, national origin gender, sexual orientation or other protected class.
- You were terminated for taking medical leave, refused time off or other “reasonable” accommodation requested based on a disability.
- You were terminated or demoted shortly after telling your boss you were pregnant, after you started to show your pregnancy, or after you returned from maternity leave.
- You faced a hostile work environment because you are pregnant and after giving birth, need lactation accommodations.
- Relief may be available to you if a prospective employer holds stereotypes about younger workers and fails to hire you. The New York City Human Rights Law prohibits age discrimination against all workers regardless of their age, unlike federal law, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which only protects those older workers who are at least age 40.
Employment Law Services Handling Federal Claims
Many of the federal antidiscrimination laws apply only to midsize or larger employers. For example, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which includes a number of rules related to severance and waiver of your rights as an older employee only applies to workplaces that have at least 20 employees. However, the ADEA rules are very favorable to older workers who are asked to waive their age discrimination claims and it’s important to retain employment law services that recognize these kinds of fine distinctions when pursuing damages for you.
Damages are capped under the federal antidiscrimination laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). It is likely you will find greater relief under the New York State Human Rights Law or the New York City Human Rights Law in many different situations. Your damages will not be capped based on the size of your employer under these laws. However, employment law services remain crucial when seeking damages because it is hard to win discrimination lawsuits.
At Phillips & Associates, we understand that you may be scared to complain about your employer. The fear of getting blackballed within an industry or terminated when you and your family need your paycheck is valid. However, if you choose your employment law services carefully, you stand a greater chance of getting the remedies to which are entitled and being able to move on with your life. Your employer should not discriminate against you based on your identity or stereotypes related to that identity.
People Say Good Things About Our Employment Law Services in New York, NY
Our firm has been successful in recovering damages for many different workers in a broad range of industries. We understand how difficult it is to be mistreated because of your identity and overlooked in spite of your work performance due to your race, sex, disability, national origin, or other protected characteristic. Phillips & Associates has built a strong reputation for fighting for workers in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County, or Nassau County. You can call our attorneys for a free consultation at (866) 229-9441 or fill out our online form.