Pittsburgh, PA Employment Law Lawyers

Here's the first thing you should know about employment law: As an employee, you have rights. Though it may seem like you're at the mercy of your employer, there are laws in place that are designed to protect you and to regulate the actions of your employer. Whether you are an executive, manager, administrator, or hold any other position, you have a right to be treated fairly.

And here's the second thing you should keep in mind: It's not your job to figure out if you have an employment law claim.

That's where employment lawyers come in.

1. They know the ins and outs of the law.
2. They can determine if you have a case.
3. They navigate the complexities of employment law for you, so you can work together to make the best possible decisions.

If you think that you could have a claim, that's the time to get in touch with an experienced employment lawyer. Waiting to get legal advice can drastically reduce your options.

We're available 24/7 to discuss your legal rights and options, free of charge: 412-394-1000. And, if you do decide to hire us, there's never a fee unless we get money for you.

Have You Been Treated Unfairly at Work?

What is an Employment Lawyer?

An employment lawyer can work on behalf of employees or on behalf of employers. Our law firm protects employees' rights—it's our job to make sure that employees are treated fairly and consistently in accordance with the law. Our Pittsburgh employment attorneys handle all types of employment law cases, including:

• Sexual harassment
• Workplace discrimination (based on age, race, religion, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender & gender identity, etc.)
• Wage and hour (unpaid overtime)
• Breach of employment contracts and agreements
• Whistleblowing
• Retaliation, including:
• Wrongful termination
• Wrongful demotions
• Being passed over for a promotion
• Being reassigned
• Being suspended
• Any other form of retaliation
• And more

How to Choose an Employment Lawyer

There are a few things to consider when choosing an employment attorney, such as: What are their credentials? What is their experience? How familiar are they with cases like yours? And, just as importantly, how comfortable do they make you feel?

You have to feel comfortable asking your attorney questions and raising all of your concerns. Any legal claim can be confusing and overwhelming, but when it involves your job and your livelihood, you want to make sure that you feel respected and heard every step of the way.

The best way to choose an employment lawyer is to get in touch with an experienced attorney, explain your situation, and ask any questions you have. If you would like to get in touch with us, here are a few important things to know:

• The sooner you act, the better. You don't want to jeopardize your rights by missing an important deadline or signing something you shouldn't.
• We are available 24/7 for free legal evaluations. You can contact us by phone, online form, or chat.
• If you do hire us, there are no upfront costs to you—we take care of all the costs of your case. That's why we say, "There's never a fee unless we get money for you."

What to Expect From an Employment Lawsuit?

Employment lawsuits have a lot of moving parts. They involve deadlines, paperwork, rules, and regulations. The specifics of what you need to do and when depend upon your individual situation.

Talking to an experienced employment attorney will give you a better sense of what exactly you can expect if you have a lawsuit. He or she can talk to you about timeframes, the dos and don'ts of a claim, and what to anticipate from your employer.

Most importantly, if you hire the right attorney, what you can expect is for them to handle all of the details of your lawsuit for you. You can expect to be guided through each part of the process. You can expect to be updated on the progress of your case. And you can expect to let them do all of the heavy lifting for you.

Have You Been the Victim of Discrimination at Work?

How to Prove Workplace Discrimination

Equal Opportunity Laws protect people from discrimination in the workplace. It is illegal for your employer to make any decision which affects the terms and conditions of your employment based solely on your:

This can affect pay, promotions, and more.

The first step in proving workplace discrimination is to contact an experienced employment law attorney. It's our job to prove that you were treated unfairly at work. Your employer has resources on their side to protect their rights—you need someone to protect yours.

• We understand how employment law cases work from start to finish and begin laying the groundwork for a potential discrimination claim during our first conversation with you.
• We know the questions to ask and the information to gather.
• We know the different types of evidence that can be used to prove discrimination lawsuits—some of which might surprise you.

There is a basic framework of evidence needed to substantiate a workplace discrimination claim, and it has to establish a few things, like:

• Are you a member of a protected class?
• Were you qualified for your job?
• Did your employer take adverse action against you? "Adverse action" can include:
• Wrongful termination
• Wrongful demotions
• Being passed over for a promotion
• Being reassigned
• Being suspended
• And more

These questions are just a starting point. Your situation is unique, and we don't use a one-size-fits-all approach. Once we talk to you and establish that you have a case, we will begin to work through how to prove your claim.

Were You Unfairly Let Go From Your Job?

Terminated. Fired. Let go. Laid off. Cut backs. Forced to resign.

These are all words that can be used to disguise a wrongful termination. "Wrongful termination" means that an employer has illegally fired or laid off an employee, such as:

• Terminating an employee to hide evidence of harassment and discrimination
• Firing in breach of employment agreements
• Firing in violation of labor laws
• Termination as a form of retaliation

What to Do if You Have Been Wrongfully Fired

This is simple: Contact an experienced employment attorney right away. The sooner you act, the better chance you have of protecting your rights. We're available 24/7 by phone, chat, and the form that's on this page. And, our legal consultations are totally free.

You can also begin documenting everything that happened to you—write down as many details as you can remember, including dates, specific incidents, and any other employees who may have also been treated unfairly by your employer.

Finally, if you suspect that you are being wrongfully terminated and have been offered a severance package, don't sign anything until you've contacted an experienced employment attorney. We can discuss your legal concerns free of charge. 412-394-1000

How Do You Prove Wrongful Termination?

You don't have to worry about proving wrongful termination by an employer—that's our job. When building your case, our Pittsburgh employment attorneys will consider:

• The limits of at-will employment
• Anti-discrimination laws
• Anti-harassment laws
• Any applicable employment contracts and agreements
• Your employer's disciplinary policies
• Your employer's termination policies
• Available direct and circumstantial evidence
• And more

We will use all of our resources to build the strongest case possible. We will gather evidence, locate witnesses, handle all paperwork, hire expert witnesses (if necessary)—and at no upfront cost to you. We mean it when we say, "There's never a fee unless we get money for you."

Violations of Employment Contracts and Agreements

If you feel that your employer is in breach of an employment contract, get in touch with us. Here are some common examples that are classified as breach of contract (though there are many more):

• Non-payment of wages
• Non-payment of bonuses (including future bonuses if you were fired without cause)
• Non-payment of travel expenses
• Non-payment of holiday or sick pay
• Changes to the terms of your contract that you didn't agree to (such as a company phone or car being taken away)

We're available 24/7 and our legal consultations are free. Contact us at 412-394-1000.

Disputing Loss of Wages

There are a number of ways that employers can wrongfully withhold wages, including:

• Failing to pay overtime wages
• Improperly categorizing an employee as exempt from overtime pay
• Withholding a bonus
• Unauthorized payroll deductions
• Deducting pay for permitted absences such as jury duty
• Failing to pay for all work performed (such as prep work)

Employers are not allowed to make employment decisions, including wages and bonuses, based solely on factors like age, race, gender, national origin, religion, pregnancy, or disability. If you think this happened to you, you could have a claim. Begin documenting any incidents you believe to be discriminatory and then get in touch with an experienced employment lawyer right away.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

The first step in any employment law case is filing your claim with the appropriate state or federal administrative agency like the EEOC. Anti-discrimination laws provide strict rules and deadlines for filing and proceeding with these claims. We recommend that you contact an experienced employment attorney before filing a Charge of Discrimination so you know what to expect throughout the process.

We're available 24/7 for free legal consultations. We can explain the next steps and will tell you the deadlines and rules for your particular claim. It's free and will save you from having to navigate confusing (and sometimes misleading) answers if you do your own research.

Protect Your Case: Dos and Don'ts

The dos and don'ts of protecting your case boil down to this: Don't say anything and don't sign anything.

Important steps to take right away include:

• Not talking to gossipers
• Sealing any "leaks"
• Not signing a severance agreement before talking to an attorney

Know Your Legal Rights

You have rights and it's our job to know the ins and outs of the laws that protect you as an employee.

There are federal and state laws that exist to protect your rights and prohibit employers from discriminating against or harassing employees based on their sex, age, race, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics. These laws include:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Federal law that protects employees from discrimination based on sex, race, color, national origin, and religion
• Americans with Disabilities Act: Prohibits discrimination based on physical or mental disability
• Age Discrimination in Employment Act: Protects job applicants and employees 40 years and older from discrimination
• Equal Pay Act: Protects against pay disparity based on sex
• Family and Medical Leave Act: Protects your job during unpaid leave for family and medical reasons
• Pregnancy Discrimination Act: Protects against sex discrimination based on pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions
• Pennsylvania Human Relations Act: Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, ancestry, age, or national origin
• Section 1981 and 1983 Claims: Protection against the deprivation of your civil rights

Other laws were enacted to ensure that all employers pay their employees the wages and benefits they have earned. These include:

• Fair Labor Standards Act: Establishes minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping, and child labor standards
• PA Wage Payment and Collection Law: Provides ways for employees to recover unpaid wages from employers

Contact Us and We'll Meet With You

It's never too soon to get in touch with an employment law attorney. Employers start working to protect themselves right away and so should you. Plus, you have nothing to lose. Our legal consultations are free, there are no strings attached, and "There's never a fee unless we get money for you."

If you think you were or are being treated unfairly at work or if you think you were wrongfully terminated, we're here to help.

We're available for free legal evaluations 24/7 at 412-394-1000, by chat, or by filling out the form on this page.