Long Island Employment Lawyer

Workplace Rights Attorneys Assisting Long Island Residents

New York businesses owe their employees a number of legal obligations imposed by federal, state, and local employment laws. At Phillips & Associates, our Long Island employment lawyers believe that everyone has the right to have these obligations respected and receive proper treatment at their jobs. If this does not happen, our employment attorneys are ready to represent employees in areas such as sexual harassment and all forms of employment discrimination. We also can assist you in bringing a claim related to a wage and hour violation, a severance agreement, retaliation, or wrongful termination. Hostile work environments are also illegal if it is based on a protective trait.

Employment Claims in New York

Discrimination or harassment in the workplace may have a severely adverse effect on an employee’s job performance and overall wellbeing. Fortunately, laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act are designed to shield people with certain protected characteristics from wrongful conduct. Some of these characteristics include race, gender, national origin, religion, disability, and age. Title VII and similar laws apply not only to current employees of a business but also to job applicants in the hiring process. Employers are not permitted to fire someone based on their membership in or association with a protected group, nor are they allowed to refuse to hire someone for that reason. Other adverse employment actions include failing to promote a worker or grant a pay raise or benefits when they would be granted to workers outside the protected group.

New York State and New York City are at the forefront of anti-discrimination laws and regulations in the United States. For example, employees on Long Island or in other boroughs are protected under these laws from sexual orientation discrimination, which is not covered by federal laws. State and local laws also apply to a broader range of businesses than federal laws, which typically cover only employers with 15 or more employees.

Many employees of both genders find themselves subjected to unwanted sexual overtures by supervisors, colleagues, or even customers. If you are in this situation, you may be able to bring a sexual harassment claim against your employer. The first step would consist of filing a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the New York Division of Human Right or the New York City Commission on Human Rights. These agencies oversee the enforcement of federal, state and New York City anti-discrimination laws, respectively. You must file the charge within 180 days of the misconduct that affected you. The dispute then would proceed through an informal process known as conciliation and potentially through mediation as well. If these steps do not resolve the dispute, the agency will decide whether to sue the employer. Even if it does not sue the employer, however, you may still have a strong case to pursue independently with the assistance of a knowledgeable employment attorney in Long Island.

Explore Your Options with an Employment Lawyer on Long Island

If you suffer harm because of illegal actions in the workplace, you should consult a Long Island employment attorney about your options as soon as possible. We understand the difficult positions in which employees may find themselves when this happens, and we work hard to pursue a satisfactory outcome in each situation. Call Phillips & Associates at (866) 229-9441 or use our online form to schedule a free consultation with a wrongful termination attorney or seek assistance with another employment dispute.

Hostile Work Environment   
Retaliation   
Retaliation After a Complaint of Sexual Harassment on Long Island

Long Island Office

585 Stewart Ave #410
Garden City, NY 11530
Map and Driving Directions
Phone: (866) 229-9441
Fax: (212) 901-2107