Manhattan Employment Attorney | Business Litigation Attorney

In order to navigate the complexities of federal, New York State, and City Of NY Law, as well as the interactions of these bodies of law with one another, your company needs guidance from a Manhattan employment attorney or Manhattan business litigation attorney. At the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC, we skillfully litigate, on our clients’ behalf, both multifaceted and single-claim commercial and financial disputes. We aggressively advocate for our clients. Further, we tailor our legal strategies to our clients’ needs. Learn more about our practice — and how we can help you or your business — below.

Employment Law and Wrongful Termination

Manhattan employment law covers a myriad of disputes and issues arising out of employer-employee relationships. Some of the federal, Manhattan, and City Of NY Laws which businesses commonly are accused of violating are as follows. At the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC, we have substantial experience litigating, on behalf of employers and individuals, these claims and many others.

Breach of Employment Contract

In the workplace context, breach of contract disputes involve the terms and conditions of employment agreements, such as:

• executive employment contracts,
• commission and bonus agreements, and
• other contracts.

To learn more about contract issues, litigation, arbitration, and your company’s legal options, contact the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC.

Employment Discrimination

Federal law prohibits public and private employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating in all terms and conditions of employment on the basis of gender, race, national origin, color and religion.

New York State law bars employers with four or more employees from firing or refusing to hire an individual, and from discriminating against an individual in compensation or in the terms and conditions of employment, because of the individual’s:

• age,
• race,
• creed,
• color,
• national origin,
• sexual orientation,
• military status,
• gender,
• disability,
• predisposing genetic characteristics,
• marital status, or
• domestic violence victim status.

So, too, City Of NY Law prohibits employers with four or more employees from firing or refusing to hire an individual, and from discriminating against an individual in compensation or in the terms and conditions of employment, because of the individual’s actual or perceived age, race, creed, color, national origin, gender, disability, marital status, partnership status, sexual orientation, alienage, or citizenship status.

If an employee has brought an employment discrimination claim against your company, contact a Manhattan employment attorney immediately.

Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)

Federal law prohibits discrimination against employees for the purpose of interfering with their attainment of rights under an employee benefit (pension or health and welfare) plan. Disputes involving self-funded employee benefit plans are governed by state contract laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Federal law obligates employers with 50 or more employees to allow workers to take, and to return to their jobs after taking, as much as 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period:

• for the birth or adoption of a child,
• to care for a close family member who has a serious health condition,
• for an employee’s own serious health condition, or
• when a close family member is called to active military service.

If a worker has brought an FMLA claim against your business, contact the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC.

Restrictive Covenants

So as to ensure that the time, effort, and money they invest in the training and development of new workers will pay off, many employers in Manhattan make new workers sign employment agreements which include restrictive covenants.

In Manhattan, there are two common categories of restrictive covenants. Non-disclosure agreements bar employees from disseminating trade secrets or confidential information. Non-solicitation agreements prohibit employees from seeking business from former customers for a defined length of time and within a specified geographical area.

In Manhattan, restrictive covenants are enforceable to the extent that they are reasonable. A covenant is reasonable only if it (1) is no greater than is required for the legitimate interest of the employer, (2) does not impose undue hardship on the employee, and (3) is not injurious to the public.

If your business seeks to enforce a restrictive covenant against a former employee, contact the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC.

Retaliatory Discharge

A series of federal, New York State, and City Of NY Laws prohibit employers from retaliating against or punishing employees for asserting their legal rights or reporting violations to the government.

Wage and Hour Litigation

Federal law requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all hours worked and overtime pay at 1½ times the regular rate of pay for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek.

New York State law mandates that employees in Manhattan be paid at least the Manhattan minimum wage — which, depending on the county and the size of the employer, ranges from $10.40 per hour to $13.00 per hour — for all hours worked. Covered employees who work overtime must be paid at a rate that is 1½ times their regular, “straight-time” hourly rate of pay.

Workers’ Compensation Defense

Most workers in Manhattan are eligible for temporary or permanent cash benefits, known as workers’ compensation benefits, when they are injured by an accident arising out of and in the course of their employment.

If the employer or insurance carrier disputes a worker’s claim, no cash benefits are paid until a workers’ compensation law judge decides who is right.

Employers pay for workers’ compensation insurance.

If your company has a greater frequency of workers’ compensation claims or has more severe workplace accidents than other businesses in your industry that are roughly the same size, your company’s workers’ compensation insurance premiums will increase. Conversely, if your business has a lesser frequency of workers’ compensation claims or has less serious workplace accidents than other companies in your industry that are about the same size, your business’s workers’ compensation insurance premiums will decrease.

Workers’ compensation law is counter-intuitive. If an employee files a workers’ compensation claim, it’s in your business’ best interest to retain an experienced Manhattan workers’ compensation defense attorney to defend against the claim.

Manhattan Wrongful Termination Claims

Most Manhattan employment law claims involve an adverse employment action, such as wrongful termination. (Other adverse employment actions include failing to hire, demoting, failing to promote, reducing the compensation or work hours of, or denying or reducing a discretionary bonus of an individual, or otherwise detrimentally changing the terms and conditions of employment.)

Should an employee win a wrongful termination action against your company in Manhattan, your company may be liable to the employee for back pay, front pay, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and, at the court’s discretion, costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.

At the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC, we vigorously defend employers and represent other clients in wrongful termination lawsuits. If your business needs Manhattan employment attorneys to defend it in wrongful termination litigation, contact the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC.

Business Litigation

Because of Manhattan’s robust commercial, financial, and securities markets, business litigation in the New York State courts and in federal courts situated in Manhattan is both frequent and highly complex. In civil and commercial matters, some of the causes of action which entities and individuals commonly bring are as follows. At the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC, we have substantial experience litigating, on behalf of companies and individuals, these claims as well as many others.

• Breach of contract actions, such as actions for:
  • violation of contracts for the sale of goods, professional services contracts, supplier contracts, independent contractor agreements, and agreements with temporary employment agencies.
• Business torts cases, such as actions for:
  • breach of fiduciary duty, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, conversion, fraud, interference with contract, interference with prospective advantage, and negligent misrepresentation.
• Bankruptcy and adversary proceedings.
• Civil racketeering actions. That is, lawsuits brought under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”).
• Business dissolution proceedings and other corporate litigation.
• Consumer fraud actions.
• Equitable claims, such as lawsuits in quantum meruit or for unjust enrichment.
• Product liability cases.
• Franchisor-franchisee litigation.
• Qui tam actions. That is, actions in which the plaintiff sues for the state as well as for itself or himself.
• Proceedings to enforce money judgments, such as:
  • turnover proceedings, sheriff’s execution and sale, wage garnishments, post-judgment receiverships, fraudulent transfer claims, and cross-border judgement enforcement.
• Commercial and securities arbitration and mediation, including arbitration and mediation before, among other arbitral bodies, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

To learn more about our commercial litigation practice, schedule a consultation with a business litigation attorney at the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC.

We Endeavor to Help You Resolve Your Business Disputes Quickly and Efficiently

If you or your company is involved in a business dispute, a Manhattan business litigation attorney may be able, on your behalf, to resolve it quickly and efficiently. At the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC, we are skilled litigators, but we also understand the value of keeping our clients out of court.

When we defend companies in business litigation, our ultimate goal is to make our clients’ problems go away. We do this through pretrial or trial advocacy, through alternative dispute resolution, or through negotiation. When possible, we undertake to resolve our clients’ disputes privately and confidentially. Where an early resolution is not feasible, the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC will skillfully litigate, until settlement or through trial, your company’s case.

At the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC, we craft customized litigation strategies to meet your business’s needs.

Consult With a Manhattan Employment Attorney and Business Litigation Attorney

When you work with a Manhattan employment attorney or Manhattan business litigation attorney at the Law Offices of David S. Rich, LLC, you’ll receive both client-focused and tenacious legal representation. We offer comprehensive employment and business litigation services — and we also pride ourselves on our attention to detail. We offer confidential consultations and look forward to meeting with you.