Learn more: Labor Law

What is Labor law?

United States labor law sets the rights and duties for employees, labor unions, and employers in the United States. Labor law’s basic aim is to remedy the “inequality of bargaining power” between employees and employers, especially employers “organized in the corporate or other forms of ownership association”. labor law commonly pertains to groups of employers and groups of employees such as unions, whereas employment law focuses on the very specific employee/employer relationship.

management attorneys

Management attorneys, as the name implies, are more focused on representing defendant employers in cases.

Employment rights attorneys

Employment rights attorneys focus on the employees, making sure that they are compensated for any unlawful termination, discrimination or abuse they may have faced.

When to hire a labor/emplyoment attorney

There are several reasons to hire a labor/employment attorney, but one of the more common reasons most people would is due to mistreatment in the workplace. If you’ve experienced any form of discrimination or harassment in the workplace it would be wise to hire an employment attorney. There are other reasons, though, such as lack of equal opportunity, wrongful discharge, workplace safety; the list goes on. It is advisable to seek an attorney once it is clear that no remedy is intended to be administered by the employer for any abuses caused by them.

When to hire a management attorney

Management attorneys (labor attorneys for employers) can help facilitate employee-employer relations. Hiring employees for a business can be very complicated, and if done incorrectly can result in serious legal trouble. One should always consult a management attorney when bringing employees onboard. Laws pertaining to wages, hours, health care, discrimination, contracts, hiring and more can cause trouble if not handled properly and management attorneys can assist with handling these contingencies. Whether you’re hiring for a new position, taking on a lawsuit from an employer, conducting layoffs or other employment related tasks, you should contact a management attorney.

independent contractors

Independent contractors are fundamentally different from traditionally employed people. Also known as freelancers, independent contractors have their own set of rights. Freelancers, unlike employees, are not subject to extensive training and regulated hours. They work on their own time and under their own instructions. Companies that work with independent contractors en masse (such as Uber) will provide contractors with a contract that they abide y, but it is not nearly as regulated or structured as employee contracts. Given the nature of freelance work, freelancers cannot be fired without liability like employees can be. They must explicitly breach contract for their right to service to be terminated. The freedom that freelancers enjoy comes with a price, though. Much of the protections employees are afforded under the law are not experienced by freelancers.