Zanesville, Ohio Labor and Employment Lawyers

Labor and employment law affects the entire spectrum of the employer-employee relationship, from the hiring process to starting a new employee, job descriptions, employee handbooks and policies, promotions, terminations, and even, in some circumstances, the relationship after employment dissolves. In many cases, employees find themselves in questionable circumstances where they do not know what the right – or legal – course of action is. It is common for us, as labor and employment lawyers here in Columbus and Zanesville, Ohio, to hear HR-related questions from employees because they do not have a trusted individual or department that can be of assistance with these issues as they come up. 

Types of Employment Cases

The Ohio attorneys of Marshall, Forman & Schlein help employees and plaintiffs in all areas of labor and employment law, including:

• Compensation Issues, such as Wage & Hour Violations: Ohio law sets minimum standards governing minimum pay, required breaks, hours, and overtime. If you are a non-exempt employee, you must be paid overtime; however, employers sometimes try to avoid this obligation by misclassifying employees as exempt to get around this requirement, which can, in some circumstances, result in Overtime Violations

• Discrimination:  State and federal law prohibits employers from discriminating against you based on age, ancestry, color, disability, national origin, pregnancy, race, religion, or sex

• Employment Contracts: Speak with one of our attorneys to review your employment contract and ensure that a provision of that contract has not been breached

• Employment Fraud: This behavior includes defrauding an employee or a prospective employee by giving them false hope of a promotion, better benefits, etc. 

• Misconduct: Defined as intentional disregard for the employer’s rules that can jeopardize their trust in the employee; an employee can be accused of (and may therefore want to defend themselves against) general or gross misconduct allegations

• Non-Compete Agreements: These agreements prohibit an employee from working for a competing employer or engaging in certain types of actions that would result in competition for the employer the agreement is made with. In Ohio, these agreements are enforceable, but there are very specific requirements that they must meet in order to be enforceable

• Sexual Harassment: Federal and state law protects you from experiencing harassment in the workplace; harassment can include quid pro quo sexual harassment and Hostile Work Environment harassment, including harassment on the basis of sex/gender, race, religion, national origin, ethnic group, ancestry, disability, and more

• Severance Agreements/Separation Agreements: While severance is not required under Ohio law, some employers do offer severance pay for certain types of employees. It is wise to consult with an attorney before signing a Severance or Separation Agreement 
• Wrongful Termination: While your employment may be at-will, there are exceptions to legal termination in accordance with at-will employment if you are terminated in violation of your employment contract or due to discrimination, as well as in retaliation for being a whistleblower or in violation of other laws, such as the Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as in conjunction with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Get A Free Consultation

Marshall, Forman & Schlein is here for you: Our Zanesville, Ohio, labor and employment law attorneys know that every case and circumstance is different, and we want to hear the full story from you so that we can determine the best strategy for your case. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation for legal advice – we serve clients throughout Zanesville and Columbus, Ohio.