Columbus Employment Lawyer

You go to work every day to support yourself and your family. While working, you do not expect to experience discrimination, harassment, or labor disputes. Unfortunately, many legal issues arise in the workplace, particularly when workers’ rights are not upheld or they are treated unfairly. If you are not being paid rightful wages, have been wrongly terminated, or have another legal issue in the workplace, you need sound legal advice. Our Columbus employment lawyer outlines the most common types of disputes in the workplace.

Workplace Discrimination

All employees in Columbus and throughout the country have the right to go to work and not face discrimination based on their race, religion, or other characteristics. Both state and federal law define protected classes that include gender, religion, race, pregnancy status, age, nationality,  and more. It is against the law for employers to take discriminatory action against employees of a certain protected class, such as wrongfully terminating someone of a certain race or refusing to hire people of a specific gender. Any time an employee discriminates against someone based on their protected class, employers are also required to take action.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Just as it is against the law for employers to discriminate against workers of certain protected classes, it is also illegal for any employer to discriminate against a worker with a disability. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), disabilities cannot be considered when employers make decisions about hiring, firing, or promoting certain individuals. Disabled employees also have the right to request reasonable accommodations, and the employer must provide them. The only exception to these laws is when a disability or accommodation would cause the employer substantial harm.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Certain employees are eligible to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave from their job to treat a medical condition or to care for a family member with a medical condition. Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), employees qualify for this leave if they have worked for the same employer for at least 12 months prior to taking medical leave, and they must have accumulated 1,250 hours of work within that time. Employees are also only eligible if their employer has a minimum of 50 workers in a 75-mile radius of the worksite. Employers must grant leave to eligible employees and cannot take retaliatory actions based on an employee’s leave or medical absence.

Wrongful Termination

Like all states throughout the country, Ohio follows at-will employment laws. This means that employers can hire and fire employees at any time and for any reason. Still, there are times when terminations are against the law. For example, employers cannot fire an employee for discriminatory reasons or terminate a contracted employee before the specified end-of-employment date.

Our Employment Lawyer in Columbus Can Help with Your Dispute

If your employer has broken the law and treated you unfairly, our Columbus employment lawyer at Marshall Forman & Schlein can help you make it right. Call us now or contact us online to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal options.