Employment Law
Employment law sets the rules between employers and workers: minimum pay and overtime, safety, leave, and protection from discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Federal law sets a floor; many states add stronger protections.
What Does Employment Law Cover?
Most American jobs are at will, meaning either side can end them at any time for any lawful reason. What the law forbids is firing or mistreating someone for a protected reason: race, sex, religion, national origin, age over 40, disability, pregnancy, or for reporting wrongdoing or taking protected leave. Wage laws require minimum pay and overtime for non-exempt workers, and some states require meal and rest breaks. Many claims must first be filed with a government agency such as the EEOC, often within 180 or 300 days, before a lawsuit is allowed.
Pay and Hours
Wages, overtime and breaks, such as:
Discrimination and Harassment
Unfair treatment at work, such as:
Injuries and Illness
When work hurts you, such as:
Contracts and Agreements
What you signed when you were hired, such as:
Employer Responsibility
When a company answers for its staff, such as:
Special Workplaces
Health care, government and immigration issues, such as:
Employment Law Lawyers in Your State
State law decides deadlines, forms and procedure, so start with the state where your matter is. Each page lists local attorneys and the cities where they work.
- Alabama26
- Alaska5
- Arizona17
- Arkansas10
- California273
- Colorado17
- Connecticut27
- Delaware6
- Florida58
- Hawaii7
- Idaho14
- Illinois39
- Indiana34
- Iowa13
- Kansas9
- Kentucky37
- Louisiana11
- New Jersey103
- New York200
- Texas63
When Do You Need a Employment Law Lawyer?
Talk to an employment lawyer before you sign a severance agreement, when you were fired shortly after complaining, taking leave or disclosing a pregnancy or disability, or when unpaid wages add up. Agency deadlines are short, and missing them can end a claim before it starts.
Many employee-side lawyers take discrimination and wage cases on contingency, and wage laws often make the employer pay your attorney's fees if you win. Bring your offer letter, pay stubs, performance reviews and any written complaints to the first consultation.
Common Questions
- Are 15-minute breaks required by law?
- How many breaks are required in an 8-hour shift?
- What is considered harassment by law?
- What is employment law?
- What is consideration in contract law?
- What is contract law?
- What is corporate law?
Related Practice Areas
Talk to a Employment Law attorney
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This guide explains general rules in the United States and is not legal advice. Laws and deadlines differ by state, and only a licensed attorney can tell you how they apply to your situation.