An employment lawyer is an attorney who helps workers protect their rights when something unfair, illegal, or harmful happens at work. This might include being fired for the wrong reasons, denied fair pay, harassed, or treated differently because of who you are.
A Boston employment lawyer can explain your rights and take legal steps to fix the problem or hold your employer accountable if the situation requires that. This kind of help is especially important when you’re up against a company or employer with more resources and legal support on their side.
How We Can Support and Help With Your Workplace Issue
Employment lawyers handle a wide range of problems that happen in the workplace. If you are dealing with any of the issues below, talking to our attorney can help you decide what to do.
Issues that our employment lawyers help with include:
- Wrongful termination: Being fired for an illegal reason, such as reporting harassment or taking medical leave
- Workplace discrimination: Being treated unfairly because of your race, gender, age, disability, religion, or another protected trait
- Sexual harassment: Facing unwanted touching, jokes, or other behavior that creates a hostile environment
- Wage and hour violations: Not being paid fairly for your time, including unpaid overtime or illegal paycheck deductions
- Retaliation: Being punished for reporting misconduct or asking for something you’re legally allowed to have, like medical leave
- Hostile work environment: Working in a place where ongoing bullying or harassment makes it hard to do your job
We will talk with you to understand what happened, explain your rights, and outline your next steps. That might include filing a complaint with a state agency, sending a legal notice to your employer, or even going to court.
For a free legal consultation, call (860) 999-9394
What Laws Protect Workers in New England?
Several federal and state laws protect workers from mistreatment and unfair practices on the job. If an employer breaks these laws, we will take action for you:
- Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: Makes it illegal to discriminate against someone because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Protects workers with disabilities from discrimination and requires reasonable changes at work to help them do their jobs
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): Protects workers 40 and older from being fired or treated unfairly because of age
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Gives some workers the right to take unpaid time off for medical reasons or to care for family
- Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Sets the federal minimum wage and rules for overtime pay
- Massachusetts General Laws Ch. 151B: Protects workers in Massachusetts from job discrimination and unfair treatment. Similar laws exist in other New England states
Even with these rules in place, employers can still mistreat, underpay, or ignore their employees. That’s when having an attorney who handles employment disputes matters. We understand the law and how to use it to protect people who have been treated unfairly at work.
How to Know if You Might Need Legal Help for Your Situation
It’s not always easy to tell if what happened to you is against the law. You may just feel like something wasn’t right, but that feeling matters. If you’re unsure, talking to a workplace dispute lawyer can give you answers.
When you come to us, we won’t pressure you into a lawsuit, and you will leave the conversation with a better understanding of your options. You should consider calling a lawyer if any of the following apply:
- You were fired shortly after filing a complaint or asking for leave.
- You are working in a toxic or hostile environment because of someone’s behavior.
- You were passed over for promotions or opportunities unfairly.
- You have noticed pay issues, such as missing overtime or illegal deductions.
- Human Resources (HR) has ignored your complaints or punished you for making one.
If any of these sound familiar, you don’t have to face it by yourself. A lawyer can help you figure out what’s legal and what’s not.
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Why Legal Help Matters in Employment Cases
Workplace cases are different from other legal issues. They often involve power imbalances, unclear rules, and sensitive situations. The company may have legal teams or HR departments working to protect its interests. You deserve someone who’s working to protect yours.
An employment lawyer doesn’t just know the law—they understand how companies run. They know the tactics businesses may use to deny claims, cover up problems, or make workers feel like they have no case. When you work with an employment lawyer from our firm, we will:
- Review what happened and give you honest advice.
- Help you understand if and how your employer violated your rights.
- Gather evidence and speak to witnesses if necessary.
- File complaints with agencies like the EEOC or state labor departments.
- Handle lawsuits if the case goes to court.
- Negotiate settlements or other solutions when appropriate.
We can also explain how long you have to file a case. For example, in Massachusetts, you typically have 300 days to file a discrimination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) under M.G.L. ch. 151B.
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Workplace Cases Can Be Complex
Employment cases can get complicated quickly for various reasons. You may have verbal agreements or policies that aren’t written down. Your employer may offer a settlement that doesn’t fully cover your damages, or they may try to make it look like your firing or pay cut was legal, even if it wasn’t.
Sometimes, timing matters, too. You might only have a short time to take action, depending on the claim you are filing. In some cases, you may need to go through a government agency first before suing your employer.
All of this can be hard to handle alone, especially when you’ve lost your job and are worried about paying your bills. Our experienced employment lawyer will walk you through it.
Talk to Our Employment Lawyers and Get Help Today
If something unfair happened at work and you aren’t sure what to do, it’s time to speak to someone who knows your rights. Duddy, Goodwin & Pollard represents workers across New England in labor and employment disputes.
We believe in holding employers accountable when they break the law or mistreat workers. Whether your situation involves wage theft, harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, or a whistleblower complaint, our employment lawyers will fight for you.
We don’t push fast settlements because we care about getting justice for you, not just outcomes. Our firm works on contingency, which means you don’t pay us unless we win your case. We understand how stressful it is when your job, income, or future feels uncertain, so we are ready to help. Call and talk with us about your situation during a free consultation.
Call or text (860) 999-9394 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form