Owings Mills, Maryland Employment Lawyers

Reliable Attorneys for Employment Law Concerns in Owings Mills

Employment law can be incredibly complicated, whether viewed from the perspective of an employee or an employer. If you believe that your rights have been violated in the workplace, or you have been accused of wrongdoing by an employee, securing legal representation is critical. An Owings Mills, Maryland can inform you of your options and help you pursue the best course of action.

At Freedman Law, LLC, we are well-versed in state and federal employment law, allowing us to effectively represent clients in a wide array of cases. We provide hands-on counsel and aggressive advocacy for every case we handle, always striving to reach the best possible outcome.

What Is Wage Theft?

Wage theft occurs when an employer fails to pay an employee the full wages to which the worker is legally entitled. In Maryland, wage theft can take many forms, including withholding overtime pay, misclassifying employees as exempt from overtime, requiring off-the-clock work, or deducting unauthorized expenses from paychecks.

Under both federal law and the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law, employers must pay nonexempt employees at least one and one-half times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. If your employer denies you overtime, fails to pay the minimum wage, or improperly docks your pay, you have the right to seek recovery of unpaid wages, liquidated damages, attorney's fees, and court costs.

Victims of wage theft often hesitate to complain out of fear of retaliation, but state and federal laws prohibit employers from disciplining, demoting, or dismissing employees who assert their right to fair pay. In Owings Mills, Maryland, you can file a wage claim with the Maryland Department of Labor or bring a lawsuit in state court. A skilled employment lawyer will assess your situation, calculate the full amount owed, and guide you through administrative proceedings or litigation to make sure you receive the pay you earned.

Workplace Discrimination Claims

Workplace discrimination arises when an employer treats an employee or applicant less favorably because of a protected characteristic. Federal law, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act shields employees aged 40 and older. At the state level, the Maryland Fair Employment Practices Act adds protections for marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, and more.

Discrimination can manifest in hiring, promotion, compensation, assignments, training opportunities, and the terms or conditions of employment. It can also take the form of harassment, where offensive remarks or conduct are severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment. If you believe you have been subjected to discriminatory treatment, you must generally file a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights (MCCR) within 300 days of the discriminatory act. An attorney can help you prepare your charge, gather evidence, preserve witness testimony, and negotiate a resolution or, if necessary, file suit in federal or state court.

What the Family and Medical Leave Act Means for Employees and Employers

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for qualifying reasons. Qualifying reasons include the birth of a child, placement of a child for adoption or foster care, a serious health condition of the employee or an immediate family member, or exigencies arising from a family member's military deployment.

To qualify, an employee must have worked for the employer for at least 12 months and logged at least 1,250 hours during the preceding year. During FMLA leave, employers must maintain the employee's group health insurance on the same terms as if the employee continued working. Upon return from leave, the employee must be restored to the same job or an equivalent position with equivalent pay, benefits, and other terms of employment.

Employers in Owings Mills, Maryland, must post and distribute FMLA notices, establish procedures for requesting leave, and avoid interfering with or denying the exercise of FMLA rights. Violations can lead to liability for wages and benefits lost, actual monetary losses, liquidated damages, and legal fees. An attorney can help both employees and employers navigate FMLA compliance, from drafting policy handbooks to representing clients in contested leave disputes.