Wage claims, discrimination, retaliation, and wrongful termination.
Employment lawsuits cover disputes between workers and employers — including unpaid wages, misclassification, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, whistleblower retaliation, and violations of leave and accommodation rights.
Wage and hour claims.
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state wage laws govern minimum wage, overtime, meal and rest breaks, and recordkeeping. Common claims include unpaid overtime, off-the-clock work, misclassification of employees as independent contractors, misclassification as exempt from overtime, tip pooling violations, and improper deductions.
Many wage claims proceed as collective or class actions because pay practices typically affect groups of workers in similar ways. State wage laws often offer broader protections and longer limitations periods than federal law.
Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and state laws prohibit discrimination in hiring, firing, pay, promotion, and other terms of employment based on protected characteristics. Harassment that is severe or pervasive enough to alter working conditions can also be actionable.
Retaliation claims protect workers who report discrimination, file complaints, request accommodations, or participate in investigations. Retaliation is often the most frequently filed type of employment claim with the EEOC.
Wrongful termination and whistleblower protections.
Most U.S. employment is at-will, meaning either party can end the relationship at any time without cause. But terminations that violate public policy, breach an employment contract, or retaliate against protected activity can give rise to claims.
Whistleblower laws protect reports of fraud, safety violations, securities violations, and other illegal conduct — protections vary by statute. Many employment claims require administrative filings (EEOC, state agency, Department of Labor) before a lawsuit can be filed, with deadlines that can be short — sometimes 180 or 300 days from the conduct at issue.