Brooklyn is one of five boroughs located within New York City within New York. As New York City’s most populous borough, Brooklyn is home to over 2.6 million residents. Brooklyn shares a border with Queens and Long Island and has several tunnel and bridge connections to Manhattan. In recent years, Brooklyn has become an attractive location for high technology start-up companies, entrepreneurship, and design. Brooklyn is a diverse borough with a significant immigrant population.
Brooklyn Employment Law Attorneys at Lipsky Lowe LLP
Many Brooklyn employers continue to engage in discriminatory practices, sexual harassment, and the creation of a hostile work environment. Employees who experience unlawful discrimination have a right to bring a claim against their employer. If you believe you’ve experienced unlawful harassment or discrimination, contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with one of our award-winning employment lawyers.
Brooklyn Workplace Discrimination Lawyers
If you’ve experienced workplace discrimination, you can count on Lipsky Lowe LLP to create a strong case against your employer to obtain the best possible results in your case. Brooklyn employees have several different options available to them to file an anti-discrimination claim. Unlawful discrimination includes treating an applicant or employee unfavorably because of the following reasons:
- religion
- age
- disability or request for disability accommodations
- pregnancy
- sex, including sexual harassment and gender identification
- race or perceived race
- national origin
- marital status
- criminal record
- genetic history
Unlawful workplace discrimination occurs when an employer takes any adverse action against an employee based on an employee’s membership in one of the classes above. You can file a discrimination claim with the EEOC, but you must file your claim within 180 days. If you file a claim under state or New York City laws, the deadline is extended to 300 days. There are many different forms of employment discrimination in the workplace.
Sexual Harassment Lawyers in Brooklyn
The New York State Human Rights Law, the New York City Human Rights Law, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibit sexual discrimination in the workplace. Sexual discrimination includes creating a hostile work environment, quid pro quo harassment, and sexual harassment.
Quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs when an employer, manager, or co-worker offers a benefit to an employee in exchange for a sexual act or favor. For example, in some cases, a manager may tell an employee if he or she doesn’t perform a sexual act, the manager will fire the employer or demote him or her.
Employers cannot create an unlawful hostile work environment by allowing sexual harassment to occur. However, when sexual comments, actions, photos, texts, or propositions become so common that they would make a reasonable employee leave the workplace, the employee can hold the employer liable for sexual harassment.
Wage and Hour Violation Lawyers in Brooklyn
Brooklyn workers have a right to be paid on time and under local, state, and federal laws. Employers violate state and federal laws when they misclassify an employee or accidentally or intentionally fail to pay their employees their fair amount of wages. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and New York labor law protects workers from their employers engaging in wage and hour violations, such as:
- Failure to pay an employee the minimum wage in New York City
- Making unlawful deductions from an employee’s paycheck
- Failure to pay an employee the correct amount of overtime
- Failure to pay a bonus that the employee earned
At Lipsky Lowe LLP, our lawyers help Brooklyn employees recover unpaid minimum wage and overtime. Understanding wage and hour violations can be difficult because the related laws are so complex. If you suspect that your employer is underpaying you in any way, it’s worth taking the time to discuss your case with an employment lawyer. You may have a right to claim your back pay and additional damages.
Brooklyn Retaliation Lawyers
New York state is an at-will state. As a result, employers can terminate an employee’s position for any reason or no reason at all. However, employers cannot terminate an employee in retaliation for the employee participating in an investigation or for filing an employment complaint. Under federal and state law, Brooklyn employees have a right to file a claim against their employers for unlawful harassment or discrimination. Workplace retaliation involves any type of adverse action against an employee, including:
- Firing or termination
- Negative work evaluations
- Salary decreases
- Demotion or reassignment of duties
Employers who retaliate against employees for protecting their rights under the law face penalties. Employees can hold their employers accountable for retaliation by filing a lawsuit against them. Unlawful retaliation occurs when an employer takes adverse action against an employee for filing a lawsuit against an employer. The employment lawyers at Lipsky Lowe LLP will review your case and advise you of your legal options.
Damages Available in a Brooklyn Employment Law Claim
New York City’s Human Rights Law offers even more protection than federal anti-discrimination laws. However, some advantages come with filing a claim at the state or local level. For example, when you file a discrimination claim at the state level, there isn’t a limit on the compensatory damages you can obtain.
You may also be entitled to other remedies, including attorneys’ fees, punitive damages, reinstatement, back pay, and front pay. In addition, employees can also hold owners and managers personally liable for workplace discrimination along with the employer under New York City’s human rights laws. Therefore, it’s crucial that you discuss your case with an experienced lawyer so you can file your claim before the statute of limitations expires.
Discuss Your Case With an Employment Law Attorney in Brooklyn
Have you been subjected to discrimination during your employment? If so, we recommend speaking to one of our employment lawyers as soon as possible. You may be entitled to file a legal claim under New York City or state anti-discrimination laws. At Lipsky Lowe LLP, we have helped many Brooklyn employees obtain the remedies and compensation they deserve. Our employment lawyers offer our clients competent and compassionate legal representation. Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation to learn more about how we can advocate for you.