Labor and Employment law deals with issues regarding workplace contracts and discrimination, Social Security disability, workers' compensation, workplace safety and representation of labor unions.

Freedland Farmer Russo Behren and Sheller handle a broad variety of labor and employment matters on behalf of employees and employers. Some of the areas handled by the firm include:

• Unemployment Benefits - the firm represents employees and employers before the Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation with regard to an employee’s entitlement to unemployment benefits;

• Whistle-Blower Claims - the firm has represented the interests of employees who claimed to have been terminated or retaliated against based upon his or her complaint of illegal conduct of the employer under the Florida Whistle-blower Acts and various Federal whistle-blower acts;

• Workers Compensation Retaliation -under Florida law an employer can’t terminate an employee due to an employee’s pursuit or filing of a workers compensation claim. The firm has represented many employees in these types of claims;

• Wage and Over-time Claims - the firm has represented employers and employees in disputed wage and unpaid vacation time claims as well as claims to over-time under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

• Family and Medical Leave Act - the firm has represented employers and employees in litigation relating to whether an employee is entitled FMLA leave. The firm has also represented employee claiming to have been retaliated against for seeking FMLA leave, which is prohibited by law.

• Life, Health and Disability Insurance Disputes - the firm has represented employees in bringing claims for unpaid life, health and disability insurance claims even where these claims are employer sponsored plans subject to ERISA.

• Discrimination Based upon Pregnancy, Race, Age, Gender, and or Religion -law firm has represented employees and employers in bringing these types of claims under Title VII, the ADEA, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the Florida Civil Rights Act. Law firm has also assisted employees in the necessary administrative processes before the Florida Commission on Human Relations (FCHR) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Americans with Disabilities Act - Law firm has represented employees in disability discrimination claims whether they suffer from an actual disability or are perceived to have a disability by the employer both pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Florida Civil Rights Act. With these types of claims it is important to know the interaction with the FMLA and workers compensation laws.

COBRA - Law firm has represented employees in claims against employers that have failed to provide the necessary paperwork for terminated employees to continue health insurance.

Trade Secrets Act Violations - Law Firm has represented employees and employers in litigation arising under the Florida Trade Secrets statutes.

Defamatory Employer References - Law Firm has brought claims by employees against employers where employers have made defamatory references to a former employee’s prospective employers.

Appeals of Denials of Social Security Benefits to Federal Court - Law Firm has successfully represented social security claimants that have been denied benefits by the Administrative Law Judge and Appeals Council in appeals in Federal Court.

Review, Negotiation and Litigation of Non-Compete Agreements - the firm has drafted, reviewed and negotiated non-compete agreements and when necessary has represented the interests of employees and employers when litigation arises over them.

Review, Negotiation and Litigation of Severance Agreements- the firm has drafted, reviewed and negotiated severance and/or separation agreements for employers and employees.

Links of Interest

www.nela.org (National Employment Lawyers Association)
www.floridanela.org (Florida Chapter of National Employment Lawyers Association)
www.worklacefairness.org
www.eeoc.gov (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
www.dol.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)
fchr.state.fl.us (Florida Commission on Human Relations)
www.floridajobs.org (Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation)