Practice Areas
At The Coffey Law Office, we focus on several areas of Employment Law
Whistleblower Claims
One of the most misunderstood areas of the law are whistleblower/qui tam claims. While many people have an idea of what a whistleblower is, they are uncertain about what protections exist for those who do “blow the whistle” when fraud is discovered against the government.
Generally speaking, these types of claims are filed under the Federal False Claims Act (if the federal government is defrauded) or, in Illinois, under the Whistleblower Reward and Protection Act. The Illinois act protects the state government from being defrauded.
Discrimination Claims
Discrimination in the workplace is most often thought to be sexual discrimination, but there are many other forms of illegal discrimination. Illegal discrimination may encompass a variety of issues that include sexual orientation, age, race, color, gender, religion, national origin, marital status or disability.
If you feel you have been a victim of discrimination, then you should speak to a qualified attorney about the facts and circumstances of your individual workplace situation. Do not wait until your situation worsens, or you are victimized again. Any delay can prejudice your rights. It is critical that you consult with experienced legal counsel right away.
Harassment Claims
As with discrimination in the workplace, illegal harassment can be based on not only sex, but also any one or more of the other protected characteristics noted above. Harassment at its core is aggression (of some form) against another person’s mind or body. Put another way, harassment is often about the abuse of power, either physically or the abuse of the power of a person’s position in relation to the individual being harassed.
Severance Claims
Unfortunately, no matter how good you may happen to be at your job, you could lose it through no fault of your own in a downsizing, reduction in force, or other form of lay-off. If you are offered a severance package, your employer will most likely require that you release any and all legal rights you may have as a condition to receiving any severance compensation. The severance offer may also include non-economic terms and restrictions that may not be in your best interests. Many people don’t know that they can negotiate a severance package, and that to do so in a beneficial manner, hiring an attorney with experience in this area is a smart one.
Unlawful Retaliation
Working with a supervisor might not always be the best experience, particularly if there are problems in the workplace. Close relationships like this are often ripe for personal conflicts and the odd disagreement now and then. If things get to the point where the employee and supervisor are really at odds, what develops is a situation where the worker becomes afraid of retaliation from their supervisor and fears for their job.
There are laws to prevent employees from being the target of retaliation in the workplace and at The Coffey Law Firm, we would be happy to outline them for you if you are in a situation where your supervisor is making your life difficult.
Disability and FMLA Issues
Disability discrimination occurs when an employer or other entity covered by the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, or any equivalent state or local statute or ordinance, treats a qualified individual with a disability who is an employee or applicant unfavorably because he or she has a disability.
The law forbids disability discrimination when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or condition of employment.