Employment Litigation Lawyer Ellicott City MD

Protect Your Business With Our Ellicott City, MD Employment Lawyer

Our firm represents employees and employers alike in complex employment matters. As an employer, you have a business to run, and your employees are one of your most important resources. We can help ensure that you maintain a positive workplace culture so that you can attract and train top talent. Should an employment dispute arise, our attorneys can advise you of your best options, including arbitration and mediation. As your Ellicott City, MD employment litigation lawyer, we can also take the matter to court if we cannot negotiate a successful resolution outside of court.

The attorneys at Eric Siegel Law also represent employees. If you have a dispute with your employer, if you’re being harassed or discriminated against at work, or if you’re having trouble with an employment contract, call us. We understand what legal options are in your case and can support your claim against your employer. We’re here to protect you and believe everyone deserves a safe, accommodating workplace. Call us today for a personalized consultation.

Employment Litigation Matters We Handle

Whether you’re an employee or employer, knowing what’s legal in the workplace and what isn’t can help you advocate for your rights in the workplace. As employers, it’s critical to understand Maryland and federal employment laws to protect your business from legal action. When you need sound legal advice and fierce representation in the courtroom, our legal team is here for you. Our firm handles complex employment disputes, including:

• Wrongful Termination: There’s a saying that you “fire yourself,” but many people have their employment terminated not for cause but for more troubling reasons. Maybe you’re a victim of workplace discrimination, or maybe you reported a hostile working environment or sexual harassment and are facing retaliation. Even though Maryland is an “at-will employment state,  that doesn’t mean you cannot be a victim of wrongful termination. If you believe you were unfairly fired or a former employee is bringing a wrongful termination claim, we can help achieve a positive resolution.
• Employment Discrimination: Discrimination against someone who is a member of a protected class, per the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), is illegal. If you have been discriminated against due to your race, color, sex, age, or disability, including during the hiring process, if you’ve been passed over for a promotion you were qualified for, or if you feel you were terminated because of your membership in a protected class, we can help you take legal action, including filing a suit for damages. We also help employers defend themselves against spurious employment discrimination claims.
• Workplace Harassment: Harassment, sexual or otherwise, can quickly turn a productive workplace into a toxic one. If you’re being harassed at work and your employer hasn’t addressed the problem, or if you were retaliated against for reporting harassment, we can help you initiate appropriate legal action. We also understand that some employers see false reports of harassment and need a strong defense in court. Our attorneys can help sift through rumors and get to the truth, protecting your best interests.

We handle a wide range of employment matters, including contract, non-compete, and similar violations. As your Ellicott City employment litigation lawyer, we’re prepared to defend your interests and seek an effective, efficient resolution to the matter. Contact Eric Siegel Law today to schedule your strategy session.

Understanding The Equal Pay Act

If you feel discrimination is affecting your pay, your Ellicott City Maryland employment litigation lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve. At Eric Siegel Law, we’ve spent over 30 years representing our clients in employment and business litigation cases alike. Now, we’re ready to use our experience to help you. Read on to learn more about the Equal Pay Act, and contact us today to get started.

The Equal Pay Act of 1963 is a critical piece of legislation in the United States that aims to eliminate wage disparity based on sex. This act mandates that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be substantially equal, and all forms of pay are covered by this law, including salary, overtime pay, bonuses, stock options, profit sharing and bonus plans, life insurance, vacation and holiday pay, cleaning or gasoline allowances, hotel accommodations, reimbursement for travel expenses, and benefits.

Key Provisions Of The Equal Pay Act

The Equal Pay Act requires that pay scales for men and women remain equal if they perform jobs that require substantially equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and are performed under similar working conditions within the same establishment. Differences in pay are allowed under the law if they are based on:

Seniority

Merit

Quantity or quality of production

Any other factor other than sex

This means that it is not illegal to pay someone more based on criteria like experience, the amount of time they have been with the company, or the quality of their performance, as long as these pay differences are not based on or affected by their sex.

Enforcement And Challenges

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing the Equal Pay Act. Anyone who suspects that they have not been paid equally for equal work has the right to file a complaint with the EEOC. One of the unique aspects of the Equal Pay Act is that it does not require the person who files the complaint to prove that the employer intended to discriminate.

However, enforcing the Equal Pay Act can still present challenges. Employees may struggle to prove the equivalence of their job to that of a higher-paid counterpart, and employers may find it difficult to justify pay disparities legitimately. Fortunately, an Ellicott City, MD employment litigation lawyer can show you the way forward.

Preventing Violations

Prevention of violations begins with transparency and good practices in pay policies. Employers must regularly review their pay practices and ensure they comply with the law. It is advisable for employers to:

Conduct regular audits of payroll

Maintain clear records of compensation

Ensure that wage decisions are well documented and justified in accordance with acceptable factors like experience and performance

Seeking Assistance For Equal Pay Matters

If you believe you have been paid unfairly in violation of the Equal Pay Act, or if you are an employer seeking to make sure your practices comply with the law, we’re here for you. Contact Eric Siegel Law, and see how an Ellicott City, MD employment litigation lawyer can help.

5 Ways To Tell If You Were Wrongfully Fired

Your Ellicott City, MD employment litigation lawyer can help you get the justice you deserve, whether you think you were fired due to discrimination, unfair circumstances, or any other suspicious reason. At Eric Siegel Law, our team has over 30 years of legal experience – including business litigation and wrongful termination. Now, we’re ready to walk you through your next steps.

Here are five signs that may point to a wrongful firing.

1. You Were Fired After Reporting A Problem

If you spoke up about something illegal or unethical (like discrimination, harassment, safety violations, or wage issues) and then lost your job soon after, that’s a red flag. Employers are not allowed to punish workers for reporting workplace issues. Even if the company claims the firing was for something unrelated, the timing and circumstances matter. If things changed right after you spoke up, it could be worth looking into.

2. Others Were Treated Differently

It’s not uncommon for employers to treat people differently based on personal bias. If you were fired for something that others got away with, or if it seems like you were singled out for unfair reasons, that may be a sign of discrimination. For example, if others with the same job performance or attendance record kept their jobs and you didn’t, it’s worth asking why. Patterns like this often tell a bigger story.

3. Your Firing Went Against Company Policy

Most companies have written policies about how they handle discipline and termination. These may be in an employee handbook, a contract, or shared during training. If you were fired without following the steps your employer claimed to use – like a verbal warning, written notice, or a performance review – it could show the decision was rushed or unjustified. Skipping procedures they usually follow can be a sign that something isn’t right.

4. You Were Let Go After Taking Protected Leave

If you took time off for medical reasons, family emergencies, or military service and were fired soon after, that’s a warning sign. Federal and state laws protect certain types of leave, and it’s illegal for an employer to fire someone for using those rights. Even if your employer said the timing was just a coincidence, it’s something worth looking into with your Ellicott City, MD employment litigation lawyer – especially if your record was clean before the leave.

5. The Reasons You Were Given Don’t Match The Facts

Sometimes employers give vague or shifting explanations for a firing. If the reason you were given doesn’t line up with your work record or past performance reviews, it could be a cover. Maybe you were told it was about budget cuts, but your position was immediately filled. Or maybe they said it was performance-related, even though you just got a raise or positive feedback. When the facts and the explanation don’t match, that can be a red flag.

Contact Us Today

Wrongful termination can be hard to prove, but it’s not impossible. If something about your firing doesn’t sit right, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. At Eric Siegel Law, we help people look at the details and decide what steps to take next. If you’re wondering whether your rights were violated, we’re here to talk through it with you. Contact us today, and see how an Ellicott City employment litigation lawyer from our team can help.