Philadelphia Employment Lawyers:  Workplace Retaliation Rates on the Rise

December 5, 2014

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), last year marked the eighth consecutive year of growth for retaliation claims made by U.S. workers.  Moreover, 2013 also was designated as the fifth consecutive year that retaliation claims exceeded race discrimination as the most commonly reported form of workplace discrimination. Several factors may account for the year over year increase of retaliation charges, beginning with the fact that anti-retaliation protection is built into every law enforced by the EEOC. This means that a retaliation claim can Continue reading →

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers discuss Non-Compete Agreements: Is Continued Employment Sufficient Consideration?

August 4, 2014

Non-compete agreements, or restrictive covenants, have long been disfavored in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania courts have consistently opined that non-compete agreements are a restraint on trade which could cause a significant hardship on employees who are merely trying to earn a living. For a non-compete to be enforceable, it must, at the very least be limited in both time and scope. While the courts have not established a bright line rule, they do agree that overly broad non-compete agreements should be struck down. For example, a non-compete Continue reading →

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers discuss National Survey Finds “Rampant” Religious Discrimination In The Workplace

May 29, 2014

A 2013 national “Survey of American Workers and Religion” found that 36 percent of respondents had been subject to religious discrimination in the workplace.   The survey questioned workers on issues such as whether the respondent’s workplace required employees to work on the Sabbath or whether they allowed employees to wear attire that expressed the employee’s faith.  More than one third of respondents replied that they had experienced religious bias in their place of employment. The reported religious discrimination was not limited to non-Christians.  While 49 Continue reading →

Philadelphia Disability Discrimination Lawyers: Disability Discrimination in the Workplace

May 19, 2014

Disabled workers in Pennsylvania may be protected by both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA).  Pursuant to these laws, an employer cannot act adversely against an employee because the employee has an actual or a perceived disability. In addition, an employer must make reasonable accommodations for disabled employees. Adverse Actions Based on a Real or Perceived Disability In order to have a valid claim for disability discrimination in Pennsylvania an employee must have a disability as defined by Continue reading →

Philadelphia Discrimination Lawyers: What Constitutes Religious Discrimination in the Workplace

April 10, 2014

Title VII prohibits religious discrimination in the workplace by employers with 15 or more employees. State and/or city law may prohibit religious discrimination in the workplace by employers with fewer employees. That means that your employer may not discriminate against you because of your religious beliefs. The law also prohibits an employer from harassing you based on your religious beliefs,  retaliating against you for complaining about religious discrimination, for participating in another employee’s religious discrimination case, or being associated with (i.e., married to) an individual Continue reading →

Philadelphia Employment Law Attorneys: Age Discrimination Lawsuit against Staples Decided in Plaintiff’s Favor

March 25, 2014

The largest verdict in Los Angeles history for an employment discrimination case was awarded to a former Staples employee fired in 2011. The employee was a facilities manager at Corporate Express prior to its acquisition by Staples in 2008. He received positive reviews for the nine years leading up to his firing. The lawsuit accused managers at Staples of discriminating against, and harassing, the employee based on his age. The employee’s complaint alleged that managers wanted to release older, higher paid employees. Employees originally from Continue reading →

New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination Now Protects Pregnant Workers

February 10, 2014

The employment attorneys at The Ezold Law Firm, P.C. are pleased to announce that New Jersey Senate Bill S2995, which expands protection from discrimination for pregnant women, is now officially the law in New Jersey.  As of late last month, pregnant working women in New Jersey are guaranteed protection from discrimination throughout the course of their pregnancies. A large majority of first time mothers continue to work throughout pregnancy.  Although the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) protect pregnant Continue reading →

Philadelphia Employment Discrimination Lawyers Discuss Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

September 25, 2013

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act and by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has defined sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment in the workplace can occur in a variety of different circumstances including conduct that affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, Continue reading →

Philadelphia Employment Attorneys Want You to be Aware of Recent Employment Laws

September 10, 2013

As societal needs change, so does the workforce.  New jobs arise and old ones adapt to new circumstances.  In an effort to keep up with the ever-changing workforce, legislature constantly proposes and enacts new employment laws.  Experienced Philadelphia labor attorneys keep abreast of these changes in order to better represent employees who may face a violation of their rights, and to counsel employers and small businesses on how to comply with these laws.  Following are a few of the most recent labor laws enacted in Continue reading →

Philadelphia Employment Lawyers: A Guide to Identifying Workplace Discrimination

September 10, 2013

What to do if You Suspect Workplace Discrimination When an employee or manager suspects discrimination in the workplace, he or she should take the following steps: Know your rights. Employees should know their rights and responsibilities under state and federal anti-discrimination laws, including their right to be free from discrimination based on age, gender, race or color, national origin or ancestry, religion, disability, pregnancy, or even genetics. Keep detailed notes.  Notes should include times, places, types of discrimination that take place, and whether there are Continue reading →

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