In Washington, the laws governing employment relationships and the workplace are myriad and complex, particularly those that pertain to employees of the federal government. A knowledgeable DC employment lawyer could help with a variety of issues, including collecting wages owed for unpaid overtime, evaluating noncompetition clauses, handling claims of discrimination, and many other issues that arise in the workplace. To discuss your situation and what action may be available to you, call and schedule a consultation with an attorney today.

Discrimination and Harassment Claims

One common legal issue in DC concerns discrimination in the workplace. Both federal laws and laws unique to the District provide protections intended to prevent unfair treatment in the workplace based on factors such as gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. These laws also illegalize retaliation against employees who file claims for discrimination and prohibit employers from allowing harassment—sexual or otherwise—in the workplace.

Unfortunately, employers sometimes violate these laws by—for example—denying promotions to qualified candidates, demoting or discharging employees who complain about illegal practices, or submitting unfairly poor performance reviews of employees based on the aforementioned characteristics.

Wage and Hour Disputes

Many employees assume that being paid a salary instead of an hourly wage makes them exempt from wage and hour laws that require overtime pay for hours worked in excess of 40 during a work week. However, the types of positions that are exempt from these requirements are more narrowly defined than you might expect.

As a result, employers often fail to pay proper overtime to their employees. In addition, many employers also fail to pay for time worked “off the clock,” or for time spent in mandatory training or during short breaks. Whether inadvertent or intentional, these practices nonetheless amount to wage theft.

In some cases, employers may even unfairly deny benefits and compensation to employees by incorrectly treating them as independent contractors.

Other Areas Where Employee Rights May Be at Risk

Employees are not always aware of their rights, or of how to take action to enforce those rights. Some of the many other issues a DC employment attorney could handle on behalf of employees include:

• Negotiation of employment contracts
• Enforcing medical and family leave policies
• Issues unique to federal employees, including those involving grade increases
• Assessing the validity of and compliance with noncompetition clauses

When to Contact a Washington, DC Employment Attorney

Although in many cases there are procedures set up to allow an employee to file a claim or address wrongdoing without the assistance of an attorney, it is still often a good to contact an attorney for advice early in the process. An experienced DC employment lawyer could help with the collection and preservation of evidence and advise and advocate on your behalf in private negotiations, as well as in official administrative proceedings.

Our legal team at the Spiggle Law Firm is familiar with all aspects of workplace law and could work to explain how courts and agencies have ruled in situations similar to yours, help you evaluate the best options to correct violations, and obtain any compensation to which you may be entitled.

If you are suffering from illegal conduct at work, contact an employment lawyer in Washington, DC now to learn how you could take steps to protect your rights and your future.

Run 4 Your Dad

The attorneys at The Spiggle Law Firm are excited to have been a sponsor this year’s Run 4 Your Dad Father’s Day Four Miler on June 16th to benefit the Safety And Health Foundation. To learn more about the race, visit our  Run 4 Your Dad page.